The Aphrodite Method
by EMPG22HoPe
Summary: Set after Heroes of Olympus: BoO. In order to prevent another horrid pact from spiraling, the three kings, along with their wives, consult Aphrodite for marriage counseling. Little do they know that "The Aphrodite Method" is a far greater hell than Tartarus. Well, as far as any couple who mentally suffered from it is concerned.
1. Chapter 1: The Idea

**The Aphrodite Method**

 **AN:** What would happen if the tri-couples are sent to Aphrodite's marriage counseling? A whole lot of hell, that's for sure! Here's my take on a comical, slightly angst-y and fluffy version of what marriage counseling from Aphrodite would look like. I wrote this out of the sheer idea of writing for fun, and also for practice. **Enjoy!**

 **Main pairings:** Zeus/Hera, Poseidon/Amphitrite and Hades/Persephone  
 _This story will feature a few PJO/HOO characters as well._

* * *

The day in Olympus started as normally as it possibly could. Well, as _normally_ as it possibly could. If any historians wrote that the Olympians were a family-oriented bunch, then they clearly haven't seen that what they call "heaven" is actually hell behind closed doors.

Of course, the culprit – or the beginner of arguments, among many things – was the king and queen of the gods. If anybody asked for specification, then it was surely all Zeus's fault. Apparently, the king of the gods still hasn't moved on from the inevitable that was the second Gigantomachy. While the king has sorely forgiven his prophetic son, he clearly hasn't made amends with his wife.

"Are you getting this on tape?" Ares grinned as he asked Hephaestus above the bantering noise between Zeus and Hera.

"Seriously?" Athena rolled her eyes at Ares from across the inverted U.

"I'll be so ashamed of you, Heph, if you're not putting this on the _Hephaestus TV._ " Apollo snickered from beside the blacksmith. "This would get solid ratings! In fact, I think this is the perfect time for a haiku!"

"No!" Hermes yelled as he held up his hands. "Getting this on tape, _yes._ Your haikus? Honestly, for the god of prophecies, it needs some serious work."

Apollo looked pained. "But I already prepared the haiku for a moment like this!"

"I have to admit, it is a great form of entertainment." Hephaestus finally spoke up, and Ares slapped his brother's back in agreement.

"How about, instead of you two meddling idiots finally agreeing on something worth brotherly, you try to keep your parents from tearing each other apart?" Hestia scolded from the middle of the inverted U. Since she was in the form of a child rather than her womanly form, the two gods found it impossible to take their aunt seriously.

"I would, Aunt Hestia, but…" Ares's grin never left him as he continued to eye his bantering parents. "This is just too solid-gold to stop."

"Zeus, I don't think this argument is worth the others watching." Poseidon warned as he attempted to hold his brother down while Demeter did so with Hera.

"Why can't they just settle this matter in the bedroom?" Demeter asked in an exasperated tone as she continued to get a grip on her sister.

"We don't share a bedroom!" Hera exclaimed as she struggled against Demeter's hold. "Let me go, Demeter – or I swear I'll blast you off before I could do so with Zeus!"

"You wouldn't dare blast me off, woman!" Zeus retaliated as he tried to bite off Poseidon's arm – but the elder brother had the upper hand. " _You_ are the reason why this Gigantomachy happened. If you had just kept your mouth shut—"

"I would, if you hadn't slowed your take on the prophecy! It would have been too late if I let your minimal knowledge get the best of everyone in this family!" Hera snapped back at him, hissing when she felt Demeter's nails dig into her skin. "Damn it, Demeter!"

"Hades, help us out here!" Poseidon yelled to the oldest brother from across the very far end of the room.

Hades – who was in an argument himself with Persephone – glared at Poseidon from afar. "I have my own wife problems over here!"

"Wife problems?!" Persephone screeched at her husband. "Is that what you call it now, Hades?"

The god of the underworld pointed at his wife helplessly as he yelled back at Poseidon. "See what I mean?!"

"Whose bright idea was it to have this meeting in the first place?" Athena groaned from the right side of the inverted U.

Aphrodite checked her scarlet-colored nails as she replied, "I think it was Hestia's, but clearly the attempt to make amends is far from the norm."

"This is just like watching something out of a sitcom." Artemis commented as she blew a stray hair away from her face. The huntress then turned to the goddess of love before asking, "Shouldn't you be helping?"

"What matters could I possibly help with?" Aphrodite asked in mock horror.

"Oh, I don't know, dear." Dionysus drawled out as he massaged his forehead. The god of wine hasn't had a decent drop of alcohol in centuries, yet he's getting a headache far worse than attempting to sober himself. "Maybe it's because you're the goddess of _love_ and there's clearly a lack thereof between the two?"

Athena's eyes widened at Dionysus's suggestion. "You don't mean…"

"Oh, gods." Artemis hid her face in her hands.

"Are you trying to start World War III, Dionysus?" Athena questioned. "The last thing these two need is…"

"You know, that's actually a _great idea_!" Aphrodite exclaimed, pumped by the suggestion. "I could even do it three-way by inviting Poseidon, Amphitrite, Hades and Persephone!"

"Consider that World War IV." Artemis commented.

When Hestia overheard the young godlings' conversation, a wise smile graced her lips. She quickly transformed into her woman form before she stood up from the hearth and approached Aphrodite.

"A _splendid_ idea, I might add. I'm sure your marriage counseling would do _all of us_ a favor, my dear." Hestia said softly.

Athena rose from her seat as she protested, "But Aunt Hestia!"

"Hush, child." Hestia silenced the goddess with one finger up. "It's the only way to maintain peace between this world… and all worlds."

"You're making a big mistake…" Dionysus commented in a sing-song voice. "If Eros can't handle Zeus and Hera alone in the field of romance, what more with Poseidon and Amphitrite? And let's not forget Hades and Persephone. It would be a worldwide catastrophe."

"I thought you were in on this?" Aphrodite pouted.

"I did." Dionysus nodded as he watched the couple at the top of the inverted U in horror. "But I realized my mistake _way_ too soon."

"Oh, come now." Hestia laughed lightly as she turned to face her siblings. "You watch and learn, children."

The gods shared a confused look, but they did watch as their aunt walked up to the king and queen of the gods.

"She's doing suicide just by going anywhere near those two!" Artemis exclaimed.

"Shut up, Artemis." Aphrodite shushed her. "She said watch and learn."

The gods expected Hestia to be the settler of the matter in a _peaceful manner._ What came next was beyond any of the second-generation gods expected.

"Quit it, both of you!" Hestia barked at the king and queen in a manly voice. Yes, a big and gruff _manly voice_. Like those angry, manly voices you watch in wrestling matches where they throw shade at each other. Yes, _that_ kind of manly voice.

This silenced the hall of the gods and much to everyone's sheer surprise, Zeus and Hera as well. While the couple knew that they were the utmost authority, they clearly knew better than to argue or at least, reason with the eldest first-generation god. After all, Hestia _is_ the bigger sister despite what people thought of her.

"Woah." Apollo was the first to break the silence.

"Yeah, well, that's not the worst of it." Poseidon snorted as he and Demeter released the king and queen. "Wait till' you see someone steal her Honey Almond Cakes. That should give your sorry asses a good whooping."

"After eons of existence, you still banter like a bunch of children. A married couple of cats are far more reasonable than both of you put together, and you are _gods_." Hestia shook her head before glaring at her siblings. "Both of you – _sit._ "

"Why, I ought to—" Zeus started.

"I said _sit_!" At Hestia's last words, the floor nearly rumbled at its sheer depth. With reluctant looks, the king and queen obeyed by returning to their thrones.

The goddess of the hearth then turned to face the other gods as her sweet, young womanly voice returned. "Meeting adjourned, my dears. Have a pleasant day."

It took the young godlings a few seconds to realize they were being ordered to leave, and when they did – they quickly scrambled in fear of getting yelled at.

Just as Hades and Persephone were about to leave, Hestia stopped them. "Oh no, you don't. Both of you. Up here. _Now_."

"But—" Hades protested.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Demeter snickered.

Much to the couple's dismay, Hades and Persephone reluctantly walked up to the main thrones. As they were doing so, Hestia turned to Poseidon. "Dearest brother, kindly summon your wife."

Poseidon looked flustered. "My wife? Amphitrite?"

"Unless you've got another one trapped inside a sea cell then yes, Amphitrite." Hestia said. She then placed a hand on Demeter's shoulder as she explained, "I believe you must go now, sister."

"No way!" Demeter exclaimed. "If my daughter is involved, I am _not_ leaving."

"This is a matter of marriage that needs to be solved immediately. I'm sure you have better plans than to listen to these couples screaming at each other left and right." Hestia explained.

Demeter's eyes widened in horror before looking at her wrist. "Well, now, would you look at the time? Those crops aren't going to bless themselves, you know! Good luck!"

In a whiff of green smoke, the goddess of harvest disappeared.

"Hestia, what are you trying to scheme?" Hera asked with a shake of her head.

The elder goddess grinned almost maniacally as she eyed each and every god that was left in the room. "As soon as Amphitrite arrives, I'll be sending all of you to Aphrodite."

"Aphrodite?" Persephone asked as if it was a joke. "And what does Aphrodite have to do with all of us?"

"Oh, not me. I'm not married." Hestia shook her head as she graced a pleasant smile now. "Aphrodite will solve your little marriage problems."

"Oh, no." Hades began to pale. Apparently, the god knew the consequences of Aphrodite's attempts to fix marriages.

"What's wrong?" Poseidon asked, now scared that Hades was scared.

"That is absolutely degrading!" Hera fumed as she rose from her seat. " _I'm_ the goddess of marriage and you're suggesting I take counseling advice from the goddess of love herself – of all people?"

"I don't think that's what you're supposed to feel terribly about." Hades murmured as he ran a frustrated hand through his hair.

Zeus frowned this time. "If you know anything about this marriage counseling of Aphrodite's, Hades, spit it out!"

"Oh, you'll find out." Hestia nodded, her maniacal grin returning in an instant.

Already the gods before Hestia's presence were shivering in terror of what the hearth goddess, or the goddess of love for that matter, had in store for them.

* * *

 **AN:** Dun dun _dun._ There's not much, but wait till' you see the second chapter which will come out two days from now - or earlier, depending on the feedback on this first chapter. Please leave some reviews and maybe even some expectations along the way. I'd love to hear from my readers. Thank you for reading, and stay tuned! -EMPG22HoPe

 **This fanfiction can also be found on Wattpad under my username _MDSummers._**


	2. Chapter 2: Meeting With Aphrodite

**The Aphrodite Method**

 **AN:** Here's chapter two as promised! I will be alternating third person POV's every now and then for the recurring chapters for the purpose of getting a lime light on how _The Aphrodite Method_ is taking effect on our couples. There are many _Percy Jackson and the Olympians/Heroes of Olympus_ reference in this story, so if you're confused or haven't finished reading the series's, don't hesitate to ask questions. I'll be more than happy to answer them. **Enjoy!**

 **Main pairings:** Zeus/Hera, Poseidon/Amphitrite and Hades/Persephone  
 _This story will feature a few PJO/HOO characters as well._

* * *

 **Chapter Two  
 _Hera_**

The queen of the seas arrived no later than the expected time. While Hera wished to enjoy the company of an old friend after so many years, she had other "obligations" to face. That included _marriage counseling_ from _Aphrodite._ Given the earlier situation, she found it remarkably aggravating, not to mention degrading. She's heard rumors about Aphrodite's sessions, and she wasn't sure if they were exaggerating – but she's been told that it was a hundred percent effective. As much as she forced herself to believe it, she simply couldn't. Besides, who takes marriage advice from the goddess of love who can't even stay faithful to her own husband?

Seemingly, Hera was the most reluctant among the gods who were forced to undergo this madness. But after much persuasion from Hestia and her big, scary manly voice that surpassed Zeus's himself, she and the couples were unwillingly dragged to Aphrodite's palace. Needless to say, they were trapped and well, nobody gets away from the love goddess's palace unless allowed so.

Compared to the high and mighty palaces of each Olympian, Aphrodite's palace looked small on the outside – but remarkably spacious on the inside. From the vast space above, Cherubs flew from every corner of the lobby, answering phone calls and delivering packages wrapped in silvers and pinks. One cherub managed to piss off Hera by accidentally hitting her in the head with a bulky package, but eventually she cooled off after another set of Hestia's scary, manly voice.

A cherub, who happens to be more finely dressed than all the others that flew rampant, approached the couples with a lithe smile. He was the size of a baby, no doubt – but his features looked more mature than that of the gods.

"Good morning, your majesties." He greeted in an all-too-cheery voice that made Hera cringe. "Lady Aphrodite is all set. This way, please."

"This is remarkably unnecessary." Amphitrite muttered to Hera as the queen of the seas took in step with her. "Have you tried to protest?"

"Oh, you can imagine the rage that graced every hall in the pantheon." Hera rolled her eyes, mostly to herself. She did allow her reluctance to take over, but Hestia's battled hers – and thus, this ridiculous endeavor. "You can't argue with Hestia."

Amphitrite sighed in defeat as she fiddled with the tips of her blonde locks. "Curse her and her being older. I have duties to attend to, managing and everything in between. By Hades, I have to worry about some stray Cyclops claiming to be Poseidon's son – of course, that wouldn't be the first."

"Why does everyone keep using my name as an alternative for hell?" Hades questioned aggravatingly. "I mean, you can always use _Tartarus_ or _Underworld._ I'm not exactly that terrifying to be considered _hell_."

"You sure as _Hades_ scared the crap out of Percy when he first visited you." Poseidon commented.

"The kid looked vulnerable, plus I've had my assumptions that he stole my helmet." Hades chuckled. "It can't be helped."

"Of course it couldn't." Persephone added with a roll of her eyes.

After walking for what felt like endless halls to Hera, she and the others finally arrived before white and gold double doors. The cherub told them to wait before entering the room, only to return to them briefly by saying, "You can come in."

One side of the doors opened widely and already, Hera met the scent of strawberries and flowers. While the combination was pungent at first, it eventually narrowed to a calm smell that increased her libido.

"What is that smell?" Poseidon asked as he tried to swat the scent off with his hand.

"Oh! That would be my seduction potion!" Aphrodite yelped in surprise as she jumped from her chaise lounge and ran for the stove that was brewing a pot of light pink liquid. When the goddess finally turned off the heat, the smell dissipated – but there was still a hint of it that made Hera's body feel all languid. "It makes one's libido go crazy. It's perfect for love-making, if I do say so myself."

"No wonder I had naked images in my head." Persephone commented as she ran a hand through her raven hair. So it wasn't just Hera who was feeling touchy upon smelling the potion.

"Aphrodite, I leave you with these six." Hestia said as she approached the double doors. "I know you'll do them well."

"Let's hope I do." Aphrodite grinned as she placed her hands on her hips.

Hestia eyed the gods one last time before exiting the room, three locks popping after the double doors closed behind her. Ah yes, simply no escape.

Hera's eyes roamed the room. In the middle stood the chaise lounge where Aphrodite sat only a few minutes ago, and before that, three peach-colored love seats that matched the colors of the walls. A chandelier hung from above, reflecting light colors while being exposed to the New York sun. Floor-to-ceiling windows stood tall against the walls, most of them opened while others were concealed with velvet curtains.

It was, indeed, the realm of a true love goddess.

"There's a lot of pink in here." Persephone started as she caressed the head of one of the love seats.

"Actually, they're peach." Aphrodite corrected as she produced a tray that carried six teacups with a snap of a finger. "But this is certainly not the right time to argue about color blindness. Please take a seat, your majesties. As much as possible, I want each couple sitting together."

They all sat on a respective love seat, Hera frowning when Zeus took his seat beside her on the love seat. Their argument earlier hadn't cleared since Hestia's intervention, and the more she looked at him, the more motivated she felt to leave the palace.

Aphrodite offered each of them a steaming cup of Oolong tea from the tray, and when Hera took one and sipped to taste – she felt all tensions leave her body.

"Now," Aphrodite began as she tossed the tray behind her chaise. It didn't resound, so Hera assumed it must've disappeared before it could hit the carpet. "I suppose you all realize why you're here."

"Unwillingly realize." Hera sneered despite the drink's effort to calm her senses. She took another sip from the cup before asking, "How is it that you're running a marriage counseling session without even consulting for my approval?"

"You have your methods, I have mine." Aphrodite grinned as she plopped onto her chaise. "I call mine _The Aphrodite Method._ "

"And it just so happens that the woman running such a method happens to be a wife who screws everybody that has a stick between his thighs?" Amphitrite questioned as she raised her cup of tea to sip. Zeus and Poseidon looked at her in surprise. Hera wasn't all too surprised herself. She knew how blunt Amphitrite could be at times. In fact, she knew that the hard way when Oceanus and Thetys took care of her, and Amphitrite had been like a sister.

Aphrodite, evidently, wasn't as surprised as the males. Perhaps the goddess was used to all the insults and hypocrisy thrown at her. "First of all, you can say it Lady Amphitrite. _Manhood_. Not stick. I think that's extremely degrading to the male species. Secondly, I lean towards the _romantic_ portion of marriage counseling. Marriage is nothing without romance. It would just be plain and boring. It's what fails most mortal marriage counselors in the first place."

"So you think you know better than marriage counselors in general?" Persephone snorted as she placed her chin on her palm.

"It's all psychological to them, when clearly the simplest solution is to renew a married couple's romance. You all need to feel the _thrill_ of your first hundred years as a married couple, and I intend for you to feel that given my methods.. _._ and a few potions." As Aphrodite says this, she waved her hand in different directions, enunciating every word with a ply of confidence.

"I'll read a _Nicholas Sparks_ novel over renewing my "romance" with Poseidon any day, thank you very much." Amphitrite said with a huff, which caused Poseidon to frown at her.

"It's not my fault I fail to meet the standards of Noah Calhoun!" Poseidon replied in defense as he placed his cup of tea down on the coffee table before them. How Hera had missed that, she had no idea. "What's the point of writing you 365 letters when you're literally living with me?"

"At least Noah knows how to treat his lady right, unlike some men frolicking around in the field of naked women." Amphitrite backfired as she pointed her empty tea cup threateningly at her husband.

"Oh, this is so good! This is **perfect**!" Aphrodite cheered as she clapped her hands in delight.

"Are you serious?" Hera asked in disbelief.

"All marriages began with hearts and flowers, but eventually narrows down to pointless arguments." Aphrodite explained, as if it was already the most obvious thing. "These arguments are barriers, but I believe it is a vital need for every married couple. Your arguing with each other is respectfully normal… as long as you don't tear Olympus apart. Yes, I'm looking at you, Zeus and Hera."

"What?" Zeus asked innocently as he held up his hands in surrender. "That was _one_ time!"

"My point is: kiss and make up. Or have angry sex later on. Whatever helps you sleep at night." Aphrodite said with a wave of a hand. "Of course, that's the later part of the method. I have ground rules and they need to be followed."

Aphrodite turned to the still-bantering sea gods and when she snapped her fingers, the argument ceased – causing both gods to stare at her in disbelief. "Rule number one: Argue in the bedroom, not during my counsel sessions. They're a pain in the ass."

"But isn't that—" Persephone attempted a comment, but Aphrodite cut her off.

"Rule number two: Follow my instructions, or there will be Hades to pay." Aphrodite continued.

"Oh, _come on_!" Hades threw his hands up in exaggeration.

"And rule number three: _Never_ question the method. That is the _cardinal rule_." The love goddess eyed them one by one as she rose from her chaise. "You question the method, you get the buzzer – and if you ever ask any couple that went through my counseling, they will shiver in fear, so don't even _think_ about trying."

"This is ridiculous." Hera muttered to herself, tugging at the tips of brunette locks impatiently as Aphrodite continued.

"Now! I won't be doing all that ' _how does that make you feel'_ questions or ' _can you explain your emotions'_ crap that marriage counselors do. No! There will be no crazy, psychological whooping in this counseling. There will be **passion** and there will be fangirling, particularly from me if you do everything right. I believe… a new pact is being negotiated?"

The three kings shared looks, and already Hera could feel the failure in everything that was about to happen in this "counseling session". Ever since the end of the Second Gigantomachy, the Fates went to Olympus to confront Zeus, Poseidon and Hades. The three women were angered by the fact that they "couldn't keep it in their pants for one decade". They didn't want to have to clean up after them once these gods sired half-blood children again. So the Fates suggested that they recreate the pact, swearing it on the _Styx_ and their _thread of life._ If anything, swearing on one's thread of life was far more potent than the Styx, for it harnessed your fate primarily.

Needless to say, the three haven't thought of a decision yet that even Hestia and Demeter were getting frustrated by their brothers' reluctance. Hera, well, she didn't believe in any of that "pact swearing" anymore. But if they somehow agree with the recreation of the pact, and have their thread of life involved – then perhaps she would give it a second glance.

"Negotiating is the right word." Zeus nodded after Aphrodite's question which primarily caused the silence. "We're still trying to weigh the pros and cons of the situation. This involves our thread of life, and everyone knows that's far greater than swearing on the Styx, so it simply can't be agreed on in the blink of an eye."

"You know, _technically_ , I didn't **break** the pact." Hades intervened. "Nico and Bianca were born a few years before World War II _and_ before we even decided on the oath. So in layman's terms, I simply have nothing to do with this in the first place. The fact that 'Seph and I have to be involved in this marriage counseling alone is a sore mistake in more ways than one."

"I know that." Aphrodite nodded, regarding the lord of the underworld's opinion. "But given the condition of your marriage as of late, it seems that you would _still_ need this counseling and that you would still need to join the recreation of the pact. Unless… you're hiding another set of children in the Lotus Casino?"

The gods all turned to stare at Hades, and when he shook his head to reject the love goddess's assumption – Hera saw Persephone sigh out of relief.

"So, let's see…" Aphrodite contemplated as she twirled her blonde locks. "Perhaps you should agree to recreate the pact… _after_ the success of the counseling. My methods are a hundred percent guaranteed. At least then, maybe, it won't cost you your immortal lives. Plus, you get to keep your wives and your… temptations to yourselves."

Hera was surprised to hear the suggestion from Aphrodite. "I hate to say it but… she's right."

This time, everyone looked at her with surprise. Even Aphrodite was speechless.

Zeus quirked a brow in question at his wife, "Hera, are you sure you're not feeling ill?"

"I'm fine!" Hera groaned in frustration as she placed her tea cup on the coffee table. It's not the first time she agreed to something others had to say, even if it was Aphrodite. "I'm just saying it _might_ work. I'm not suggesting her counseling is a hundred percent perfect because in the eons of our immortal existence, no love is perfect. But… if the counseling works… then perhaps…"

"A recreation of the pact will be in order…" Hades trailed off before staring at Persephone. He took his wife's hand in his before saying, "We can't really agree on a decision for the pact without the consent of our wives."

Hera remembered the first time they created the pact. The three gods had asked for their wives' second and final opinion, and when the pact was granted; everything was well. She was the happiest goddess to grace the earth, knowing full well that Zeus would finally… _finally_ be faithful to her. But the hype died as soon as it started, for truly, she should have known better than to trust Zeus and his wretched lies.

Persephone smiled at her husband sadly before nodding. "This whole counseling idea is ridiculous… but it's worth a shot."

"Oh, that's so sweet!" Aphrodite cooed, and Hera nearly gagged.

"Amphitrite?" Poseidon asked as he held her hand in is.

"I suppose it should work. I hate you, but I don't hate you enough to wish for your eternal damnation." Amphitrite shrugged as she pursed her lips.

This time, Zeus turned to her. Hera sent him a cold look, daring him to not touch her hand. But he did touch her hand, and when he filled the spaces between her fingers, she felt whole. Although, she would never admit that out loud. He then asked her quietly, "Hera?"

Hera didn't give away anything that she was feeling, but nevertheless, she answered, "I hope it does work. Otherwise, this whole thing is all for naught."

"Splendid!" Aphrodite exclaimed as she clapped once before grinning at them. "Now, I doubt the fates let you off by reconsidering the pact for a long time. I assume there's a deadline?"

"The Winter Solstice." Hades nodded. "Any more than that, then we're completely out of our line. How long does your method work?"

"Long enough to keep you sane, I hope! I'm sure it'll be earlier than the winter solstice, so you needn't worry about any of that." Aphrodite walked towards a desk on the right side of the room. From the desk's drawer, she took out three blue rings and three pink rings. She then raised the rings by levitation, and walked back to her chaise. "Do you know what these are?"

"Gummy rings?" Persephone suggested.

"Oh, far from that." Aphrodite laughed lightly before she pushed the floating rings towards the gods. Almost instinctively, the rings slipped effortlessly onto the ring fingers of the three couples. All three blue rings were given to the gods, and all pink rings to the goddesses. "These are made of ceramic and celestial bronze. These will keep track of your activities during the method."

"So it's just a tracker?" Zeus asked as he looked at his blue ring. "What are we, _dogs_ now?"

"Oh, no – that'd be too degrading. It's just to help me know what's going on and if you're doing all the methods I've instructed correctly." Aphrodite explained just as Hera was twisting the ring on her finger. "It has another function, but I'm sure you'll find that out eventually."

"Eventually?" Amphitrite's question laced with doubt.

"Back to my former speech. Where was I? Oh, yes! There will be passion and everything else that I've simply forgotten." Aphrodite waved off as she crossed her legs. "Know that in this counseling, you will rely on your spouses more than you will rely on my word. My method has two categories, the physical and the emotional. We will simultaneously undergo both categories to create a certain balance. These will be done _daily_ and with proper instruction. Fail to do that and… well, you get the buzzer. You'll find out soon."

"Daily?" Persephone asked. "You mean this isn't just a weekly thing?"

Aphrodite frowned. "Olympus, no! You want this recreation of the pact to work, yes? Then we'll have to do it _daily._ If you can't be a part of your husband's life every day, then what's the point of being married?"

Again, another fair point from the goddess of love. Gods, was Hera losing her touch?

"Today is the mark of your first task because you already have the rings with you." Aphrodite pointed out. "I think you'll find this first task extremely simple."

"Oh, please don't make me talk to his other children." Amphitrite begged. "The last thing I want to do is "find a center" with them."

Aphrodite shook her head as she graced a sweet smile. "I want each couple to sleep in their primary room tonight. Yes, the room where you formerly slept together. Don't think that this task is just for today, because you'll be spending the entire process of the method sleeping in the same room and in the same bed."

Sounds simple enough to Aphrodite, but to Hera – it had been centuries since she and Zeus slept in the same bed. The only time they ever did so after a long time was when she got back from being kidnapped by Porphyrion five years ago. Any other night than that, Zeus slept in his own bedroom. Hera stayed in their primary room.

None of them said a word, not even a complaint from Poseidon or Persephone. Hera could already feel the task seeping through the cracks of their broken marriages.

"Oh, and let's not forget to cuddle!" Aphrodite added with a snap of a finger.

"Cuddle?" Persephone groaned.

"Like, cuddle _cuddle_?" Amphitrite questioned. "Cuddle after sex kind of _cuddle_?"

"Spooning or whatever you married couples do to make contact during your sleep. I don't want any of you putting barriers or walls… _literal_ walls between you and your spouse. I need to… _feel_ that energy, knowing that you trust each other in all ways possible."

Hera frowned this time. "If you expect me to _cuddle_ with Zeus, then you're making a huge mistake."

"What? You don't like my cuddling?" Zeus teased.

The queen felt her cheeks warm. "T-that's not what I'm saying."

"Then we have an agreement!" Aphrodite smiled cheerfully before rising from her chaise. "You'll start tonight. The first daily task is always the simplest. I don't see how that's hard for any of you."

" _Maybe_ some of us haven't slept together in decades. Have you ever considered that?" Persephone answered with a frown.

Aphrodite tapped her chin with her finger. "Hmm, you're right. But! If you want the _Aphrodite Method_ —"

" _Madness_." Amphitrite corrected.

"—to be successful, you've got to at least try."

"And if we don't?" Hera challenged, which caused the love goddess to turn to her with an evil smirk.

"Let's just say I wouldn't do that if I were you." Aphrodite said in a threatening tone, which didn't scare Hera one bit.

Besides, what could Aphrodite possibly do that isn't already driving her mad?

* * *

 **AN:** Oh, Hera - I'd be scared if I were you, haha! That's it for the second chapter. I'm still debating on who's POV I should work on for the next chapter. I can't use either Zeus or Hera, but I'm still stuck between Poseidon/Amphitrite and Hades/Persephone. If you want to see your favorite couple in the next chapter, feel free to drop in a comment/review. Also, it'd be great to see some feedback from the readers - so reviews, whether critique-like or motivational, is openly accepted. Thank you for reading, and stay tuned! -EMPG22HoPe

 **This fanfiction can also be found on Wattpad under my username _MDSummers._**


	3. Chapter 3: Turning Page (H-P)

**The Aphrodite Method**

 **AN:** I got excited and wrote the third chapter on the same day I posted the second chapter. I know very little about Hades and Persephone, and I did a little research on them PJO/HOO-wise and I realized that oh hell, the kidnapping was all Zeus's fault! Haha! I guess it runs in the family. (Get it? Cause Zeus technically "kidnapped" Hera) Anyway, I hope I gave this couple justice. Also, feel free to listen to _Turning Page_ by Sleeping At Last while reading. **Enjoy!**

 **Main pairings:** Zeus/Hera, Poseidon/Amphitrite and Hades/Persephone  
 _This story will feature a few PJO/HOO characters as well._

* * *

 **Chapter Three  
 _Persephone_**

"Blast this stupid ring!" Persephone fumed as she tried to get rid of the pink ring from her right ring finger, where her wedding ring was.

"What's wrong, 'Seph?" Hades asked from outside the bathroom.

The queen of the underworld frowned at herself in the mirror before punching her right fist against the black marble counter out of spite. While the myths mentioned that she often rejoiced upon returning to the underworld during the winter solstice, recent events have made her despise the fact of going back. It was still summer, and she purposefully should be staying with her mother, Demeter. But due to certain circumstances, she's obligated to come back to the Underworld every night to "sleep" and "cuddle" with her husband.

That was all the more reason to want to send a carnivorous plant to the love goddess as a parting gift.

"I can't take it off! It's jarring my wedding ring, and now I'm stuck with two!" Persephone complained just after she opened the door to reveal the problem to her husband. "These things don't come with a manual, do they?"

"They're just trackers, dear." Hades sighed, and when Persephone groaned out of frustration – he stepped away to let her trudge angrily out of the bathroom. "And I've tried. They are, indeed, stuck."

Persephone let out a sigh of defeat as she sat on the edge of their crimson-colored bed. It hadn't been long since she last slept on the bed. Technically, it was _her_ bed. She kicked Hades out of their bedroom the minute she found out that he was hiding two of his demigod children in the Lotus Casino. Although he didn't really break the pact since the children were born before World War II and the creation of the pact, still – his brothers still taught tomato is potato. To be sleeping with him again after a number of years served to be a far greater challenge than she could possibly call for.

"'Seph, if you don't want to do this…" Hades started gently as he walked up to her. "I don't mind sleeping on the couch."

Despite herself, Persephone shook her head. "No. We… we have to do this. I may not enjoy Aphrodite's method, but if we don't do this – Tartarus knows what "consequences" we'll have to face."

"So you're not really willing to make this marriage work?" Hades questioned, pain lacing his voice. "You're simply doing it in fear of what Aphrodite might do?"

"Don't be so stupid, Hades." Persephone frowned up at him. "It's a hopeless case, but it's not as hopeless as Zeus and Hera's. I admit, I'm reluctant to do this – but I'm giving you a second chance. The success of this method will only prove that you won't cheat on me again, even if you _did_ do so before the pact was even made."

Hades sat beside her before taking a hold of her hand in his. "I'm going to try, 'Seph. I really am. You know me more than my own family, and you know that I will do whatever it takes as long as it makes you happy."

The raven-haired goddess recoiled from his touch, and as she began to mount herself on the bed, she replied, "The only thing that can make me happy right now is for you to move on from Maria Di Angelo. Seeing as you still can't, consider your wife most unsatisfied."

"Don't bring her up, 'Seph. Not right now." Hades pleaded in a small voice as he wriggled his way over to the other side of the bed. He offered a hand to his wife, indicating that she draw closer to him. "I thought this was supposed to be a bonding exercise? Mentioning Maria from time to time won't make this work."

With much reluctance, Persephone took his offered hand and found herself enveloped by his strong arms. All tensions left her body once she felt him, as whole as she had always dreamt he'd still be after such a long time. She laid her head against his chest and breathed out, letting go of her anger for the briefest moment.

"Fine," She said heatedly as she curled her hand against his strong chest. If Hades had been shirtless, she would have practically lost all self-control. "But don't think for a second that the matter is over. It will never be over unless that woman engraved in your head is struck by lightning."

"Oh, 'Seph," He murmured to her as he kissed the crown of her head. "Why don't we talk about something else, shall we? How about we gaze at the stars? Would that make you happy?"

"I suppose…" She drawled in half-heartedly.

With a wave of his hand, the dark ceiling above whirled into different shades of colors before settling on the color of the night sky. Stars twinkled from every other inch of the sky. Patterns Persephone remembered upon her first time star gazing with Hades formed beautifully against the dark of the night. It was, as always, a calming reverie to her ire.

"Orion's belt!" She exclaimed delightedly against the silence as she pointed at three stars diagonally lined. "I thought I'd never see that again. All I often saw was Hercules and the Corona Borealis."

"I taught you well into finding that forsaken belt." He chuckled at her before pointing at a swerved line of stars that leaned to the right. "There's your favorite. The lyre."

" _Lyra_ ," She corrected as she looked to where he pointed. A small smile graced her lips as she stared at the beautiful pattern. When she came across a familiar pattern, her smile saddened. "I see Zoë Nightshade's constellation."

She felt him nod against her head, and when she looked up to search her husband's face, her heart faltered. Zoë Nightshade was a huntress of Artemis, and that little suggestion alone reminded her husband of another huntress of Artemis that died. Persephone won't forgive Hades for not moving on from Maria, but she would forgive him for not getting over his late daughter, Bianca Di Angelo – his first child with Maria.

Persephone swallowed, unable to find the strength to harden her defenses. "I always wanted to meet her, you know."

Hades arched a brow at his wife, but it didn't cease his saddened expression. "Zoë?"

"No," She shook her head as she laced her fingers with his. "Bianca."

At the mention of the name, she felt her husband's body go stiff. Perhaps she shouldn't have mentioned the child in the first place. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—"

"It's… It's fine." His voice wavered, so it was surely not _fine._ Before she could open her mouth, he started to ask, "Why did you want to meet her?"

The question struck her senseless for a few seconds. Why _did_ she always want to meet Bianca Di Angelo in person? "Make no mistake, Hades, I hated her… at first. But eventually, I've grown to have an unconditional liking for her merely because she… she reminded me of… me."

"Ah," He nodded, and when she looked up to him – she met his eyes. They were filled with such sorrow that if anyone ever saw him in such a condition, they wouldn't believe it. But she did, and she felt ashamed to have cost it. "She does have your strength. She's like the young version of you… only less overprotected by her mother. I know she's not yours, but…"

"I would have accepted her as my own." She admitted as she tightened her hold on his hand. "And Nico, too, if you… if you had just told me earlier."

See, that was Hades's mistake. Persephone would have been okay with it, since it wouldn't be the first time he sired a child with a mortal. Though his half-blood children were rare, he always went back to her. But when he kept the children secret from her, even before the pact, she lost all sense of control and nearly vaporized the Underworld. After all, she wasn't called the _Iron Queen_ for nothing.

"It was a mistake to keep them a secret." He told her before he brought up his hand which she held and kissed her knuckles. "But I was… I was scared to lose you."

"Were you?" She questioned, not out of spite, but out of sheer curiosity. "Were you scared to lose me or scared that I might have done something far worse than your brothers ever had to Maria?"

It took Hades a long time to reply, but when he did, it was the answer she most expected.

"I don't know."

A frown creased Persephone's brows as she let go of his hand. Petty talk was over.

"You can close the ceiling now." She told him a little too harshly than she intended. "I'm going to sleep."

The only thing Hades did right that night was not question her as he rid the ceiling of the beautiful night sky, ending their forsaken conversation.

* * *

 **AN:** That's a wrap for Chapter 3! I actually quite enjoyed writing this chapter, especially since I've hardly had the expertise in writing about Hades/Persephone. This is a great new discovery to me, and I'm glad I at least did a little part. Let me know what you think of this chapter by commenting/reviewing. Your feedback would be most appreciated! -EMPG22HoPe

 ** _Next on "The Aphrodite Method"_**

 _One couple failed to achieve daily task numero uno. The consequences of which Aphrodite spoke took a leap too far for two gods, and now they are extremely pissed. Who could this particular pair be, and will they be able to regain their balance by actually achieving a task this time?_

 **This fanfiction can also be found on Wattpad under my username _MDSummers._**


	4. Chapter 4: The Rings That Bite

**The Aphrodite Method**

 **AN:** I really intended for this chapter to be about Zeus and Hera. But I thought that it was better to grace some explanations, especially about the blue and pink rings Aphrodite gave the couples. Rest assured, the next chapter will most definitely touch the topic of Zeus and Hera, by popular demand (based on the reviews on this story). So here's a chapter under Aphrodite's third person POV. **Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter Four  
** ** _Aphrodite_**

"Babe, can I come in now? I'm _this_ close to sleeping on the lobby's couch, even if it means being bothered by your stupid cherubs." Ares asked from behind her bedroom door.

The love goddess snapped out of her internal reverie after hours of eyeing her crystal ball. The crystal ball had been her, say, _TV screen_ or camera towards her current marriage counseling patients. It was connected to the blue and pink rings she gave the kings and queens in more ways than one. And it also helped her find out which one failed to achieve the first daily task.

All seemed to have done the task except…

Aphrodite laughed to herself before waving her hand against the crystal ball. Her eyes wandered towards the clock. It was already 2AM, but she wanted to find a miracle for the particular couple that didn't follow her instructions. She sacrificed hours meant for beauty sleep, not to mention the fact that she had to jar Ares out of her room to keep her from distractions. But alas, she paid the price – and so will the rebellious couple.

She finally opened the door to Ares, and when she saw him attempt to hug her – she raised a hand. The god of war frowned. He was nothing, if not the most impatient god she's ever met. But given the circumstances of her current marriage counseling, she ought to teach him the art of patience.

Ares opened his mouth to say something, but before he could speak, Aphrodite laced her arm against his and leaned into him.

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting." She apologized in a silky voice.

The god of war grunted as he wrapped an arm forcefully around her waist, causing a light gasp to escape her lips. "You owe me, baby."

"I do." She nodded in agreement. "But first, I need you to do something for me."

"What's in it for me?" He asked her and the love goddess nearly laughed. Men. They think everything comes at a price.

Aphrodite released the arm she formerly held and carefully uncoiled the other that was wrapped around her waist. "You can have me all night."

This perked up Ares's interest, and with a grin he asked. "All night, huh? Fine. What do you need me to do?"

The love goddess couldn't help but return the grin her lover was giving her. The meeting with the three couples later should be a very interesting session to wake up to.

* * *

"Aphrodite!" an angry voice yelled from outside her bedroom, and with that voice, matched a loud banging against her double doors.

"Holy Hera, is that my dad?" Ares asked from beside her, stumbling carelessly off the bed as quickly as he possibly could before hiding his naked form in her bathroom.

"You call him _dad_?" Aphrodite couldn't help but laugh despite her want to resume her slumber. Ares wasn't kidding when he said he'd have her "all night". The whole endeavor left her with sore legs and a number of fresh hickeys near her breasts. "That is so cute!"

"Damn it, Aphrodite!" Ares exclaimed in a panicked tone from her bathroom. "It's not funny! Get the damn door before he strikes it with lightning. You don't know how cranky he can get in the morning. Shit, he's so going to find out what I did."

"Relax, will you? It wouldn't be the first time you stole something from him. Remember the master bolt?" She told him just as she was getting up. The loud banging continued, and when it was met with another bang, a female voice joined the complaints.

"What the hell, is that my mom, too?" The war god was losing all sanity now as he left her bathroom dressed in the clothes he wore last night. "Babe, I love you – but crap, if you get me in trouble—"

"You _won't_." She pressed as she wriggled into her satin nightgown, removing the creases off with well-manicured fingers. "Now open the door for me, will you? And stop acting so damn scared, baby. He'll know it was my doing."

Ares sighed, his shoulders slumping in the process. He then walked over to her and took her in for a searing kiss that left the love goddess breathless.

"Aphrodite, we know you're in there, and we demand an audience!" The female voice rang louder now, and Aphrodite could have sworn the voice reached more than just her own palace.

"Good luck, babe." Ares told her before letting her go and walking over to the doors. "You call me if you need anything else, alright?"

"I will." Aphrodite said in between giggles before blowing a kiss towards him. "Now open the door, love. We can't keep their majesties waiting."

And as soon as Ares opened the door, he was nearly run over by Zeus and Hera who entered as rapidly as they had knocked moments ago. Hades, Persephone, Poseidon and Amphitrite followed suit.

The queen of the gods turned to look at her son and Aphrodite before frowning, "Some marriage counselor you are, Aphrodite."

"Good morning mom… dad…" Ares greeted nervously at his parents, and ran as fast as he could after saying, "And goooooood bye!"

"What is wrong with your son?" Hades asked Zeus, and the king of the gods shrugged as if his son's behavior was normal.

"How may I assist you today, your majesties?" Aphrodite asked nonchalantly as she placed her hands on her waist. "Our meeting isn't until 10AM."

"I'll 10AM your face if you don't give me back my antique Peacock collection, you crazy bitch!" Hera fumed; her face nearly red from all that anger. The queen still carried a graceful air to her, despite her ire. But that graceful air disappeared when she tried to charge at Aphrodite, but the love goddess was fortunate enough to be spared when the queen's brothers, Poseidon and Hades, ceased Hera.

"And how _dare_ you take away my _Hercules Busts Heads Season 1_ collection!" Zeus followed Hera's anger, and already Aphrodite was the tiniest bit scared. Just the tiniest. "That was a collector's edition that much to my dignity, I had to _beg_ Hermes to get! What did you think you were doing?!"

" _Hercules Busts Heads_?" Persephone asked with a quirk of a brow. The rest of the gods followed suit, except Hera, who was still trying to release herself from her brothers' hold. "Seriously, dad?"

"Don't question him, dear." Hera warned as she grunted occasionally during her attempt to free herself. "He was obsessed with that show. We had to fight over the remote every night just so he can watch it."

"I warned you about getting the _buzzer,_ your majesties." Aphrodite shrugged, as if it was normal to have her boyfriend steal his own parents' collection.

"Your buzzer was to steal their collector's edition?" Amphitrite questioned as she crossed her arms on her chest. "Okay, I guess that is extremely mental."

"Those were my babies!" Hera cried as she tried to bite Hades's arm off. "My poor little Peacock collection. Those were 1975!"

"Well, that's punishment for not doing the daily task." Aphrodite explained simply and with a snap of her fingers, three loveseats appeared behind the couples. "Have a seat, please. You must have gone through great lengths to wake up at this ungodly hour just to complain."

"Seriously, who steals collector's editions?" Persephone asked as she took her seat beside Hades in one of the loveseats. "If I had my _Adonis_ figurines stolen, I'd go crazy too."

"I'd steal and blast them off the face of the earth, too, if she hadn't looked like her mother when I tried to touch one of them." Hades commented, and the love goddess saw him shiver.

She mentally sighed to herself. Given, she's been through these marriage counseling sessions with other immortal couples – but this time, it was different. The fate of Olympus – the earth, as they all know it – is practically in her hands if she doesn't succeed with the methods. But she severed herself to stay positive. Her methods have worked before. Who's to say it won't work this time?

"I don't just _steal_ collector's edition items as you so lightly put it. I take away any material precious to the couple who fails to meet the daily task." Aphrodite continued as she leaned her figure against the floor-to-ceiling window. "And I will continue doing so until you've learned your lesson."

"It's like apprehending cookies from an innocent child." Amphitrite sniffed disdainfully. "It's crazy and obviously quite stupid, but it works."

"When do you suppose we can get them back?" Zeus demanded. Apparently, his temper hasn't dropped even a Celsius. "Cause that collection—"

"You can only get them back _after_ the method is over." Aphrodite answered, crossing her arms. "You do realize that if you failed to do the task, you'll have to do it again on the next task. So if I were to ask both of you to argue like the meddling couple you are, you have to do it while cuddling and sleeping in the same bed."

"That's just crazy!" Hera complained, and just as she was about to charge at the love goddess, Zeus held her back. "What kind of sick, marriage counseling are you running? This is oppression of a couple's ability to improve!"

"If you want your belongings back, you'll have to wait till' the end of the method." Aphrodite repeated tiredly. "Until then, follow the instructions. Both of you will have to execute the first task tonight. If not, consider another one of your precious materials held back."

"Why _didn't_ you do the daily task last night?" Poseidon questioned the couple. "What's so bad about cuddling?"

"See? At least Poseidon sees my point!" Aphrodite exclaimed with a wave of her hand. "Thank you!"

"You expect me to cuddle with the man who, by the way, had two children with a blasted mortal woman in both Greek and Roman form, slept with half the female population and ah, yes, let's not forget the fact that he blames me for acting so _rashly_ about the prophecy." Hera vented as she counted her husband's mistakes with her fingers. "If you want me to give you more reasons, I'd be glad to give you a thousand scrolls of it."

"Well, if you put it that way…" Poseidon cowered to himself.

"Zeus, what do you have to say for yourself?" Aphrodite asked as she turned to the king of the gods, who looked like he was ready to smite someone with his master bolt.

Zeus frowned at the love goddess. "I thought you said there won't be any expressing of emotions in this counseling?"

"You're just avoiding the situation, _dear._ " Hera spat at him.

"Hera," Zeus sighed in frustration as he massaged his forehead. "Don't make me chain you up in the sky again."

Hera pointed at her husband as she complained to Aphrodite. "Do you see what I mean?!"

"Rule number one: Settle your arguments in the bedroom. And no, not _this_ bedroom. I don't need your meddling echoing off my newly-painted walls. You'd peel the paint off before you can say _Styx._ " Aphrodite shook her head. "Point is, your majesties; you have unnecessarily delayed the process – therefore you must do it tonight, along with today's daily task."

Amphitrite groaned as she laid her chin on the back of her palm lazily. "Go on. Please do tell us what the next task is. You've already succeeded in ruining _one_ of our nights."

Poseidon looked pained. "I thought you liked my cuddling."

"I do." Amphitrite smiled at him sweetly. Her husband grinned proudly to himself, but his ego was deflated when the sea goddess continued, "At least, when you're not drooling."

"The cuddling last night was uneventful." Persephone commented. Aphrodite arched a brow at the queen of the underworld. It sure didn't look like it to her when she spied on the king and queen of the dead in her crystal ball. Of course, the sweetness died faster than it started. "So whatever you have planned for tonight Aphrodite, rest assured it still won't help our tarnished relationships progress."

"Oh stop being so negative my adorable little lovebirds!" Aphrodite exclaimed as she walked away from her window. She then stood before the couple with a confident grin that, by the look on their faces, now scared them. "For today's task – I want you to embark on your day. Ask each other how their day was, what they did, where they went – and just… _talk_ like some ordinary couple. And please, for the love of us, refrain from arguing. Again, I'm looking at you Zeus and Hera. If anything, you two need extensive couple sessions."

"Well, if it's the king and queen of the gods that _truly_ need extensive couple sessions," Persephone began with a grin as she started to rise from her seat.

"Sit down!" Aphrodite scolded with a huff. "I meant for all of you to have these couple sessions. It just so happens that I have to try harder with these two reluctant love birds. Now that that's cleared up, does anyone want to ask questions?"

"I have one!" Amphitrite raised her hand, but before Aphrodite could say anything, the queen of the sea asked, "Have you ever tried using your _Aphrodite Method_ on yourself, considering how you're such an unfaithful wife?"

"That's actually a good question." Poseidon agreed with his wife.

"Touche." Aphrodite smirked. "But that, Lady Amphitrite, is none of your sea-foamed business. Any more _legitimate_ questions?"

"Was that not a legitimate question?" Hera insisted with a grin.

"Well, I do." Zeus declared as he cleared his throat. He showed the blue ring on his right ring finger. It made the love goddess cringe when she didn't see a wedding ring under the blue ring. "What the hell is it with this? It bites me at random moments! It's like a bite from a scorpion and it practically paralyzes you for thirty minutes."

"Yeah!" Poseidon complained as he showed his attached blue ring as well. "It bit my finger fifty times yesterday! What I don't understand is why Amphitrite never got bitten by it."

"Well, I did get bitten." Amphitrite admitted as she examined her pink ring. "Once, and then it was over faster than it started."

"Did you even consider a pattern after you've been bitten at _random times_ or during the course of your _fifty shades of painful bites_?" Aphrodite laughed as she examined the couples. "Zeus, name _one_ time the ring bit you while remembering what you _did_ or _thought of_ before it happened."

At this request, Zeus looked flabbergasted. But he answered, with very little strength his voice normally had, "I looked at a nymph."

Hera started to frown at her husband.

" _Just_ looked at a nymph?" Aphrodite asked, raising a brow.

Zeus started to scoot far from his wife. "I… uh… not really _looked_. But sort of like…"

"I knew it!" Hera exclaimed as she pointed an accusing finger at him.

"You were imagining that nymph naked, weren't you?" Poseidon wagged his eyebrows at his younger brother playfully before grinning to himself. "Ah, nymphs."

This caused Amphitrite to smack the sea god's arm harshly.

"See, whatever thoughts or actions that _hinders_ the progression of the method will cause the ring to bite you as punishment." Aphrodite explained as she took Poseidon's right hand where his blue ring was. "Exhibit A. Lord Poseidon, I dare you to think about Sally Jackson."

"Aphrodite—" Amphitrite interrupted, but the love goddess raised a hand to halt her.

After a few seconds of momentary silence, the sea god yelped, "Son of a bitch!"

Poseidon freed his hand from Aphrodite as he rose. He then started hop-skipping around the room while holding the finger that contained the blue ring.

At this, Amphitrite grinned maniacally. "Serves you right for thinking about that whore."

"She's not a whore!" Poseidon defended, but the ring must've bitten him again, because a string of curses in Ancient Greek followed his unwanted defense.

"See what I mean?" Aphrodite insisted as she presented Poseidon – who still hopped around the room like a big lump of fish – before Zeus and Hades. "Any thoughts on your mistresses, especially the… most outstanding ones: Beryl Grace, Sally Jackson and Maria Di Angelo – will cause the ring to bite you till' your thoughts disperse. But ah, that's not the worst."

"There's a _worst_?" Hades asked in disbelief.

"The worst part is the actions. If you so much as try _visitation_ with your ex-mistresses or at least attempt to chase a woman you intend to bed – like what Zeus had said, it _will_ paralyze you for thirty minutes."

"Did you seriously wanted to sleep with another woman yesterday?" Hera asked horridly, and Aphrodite could tell that the queen was trying to hide her pain. "Even in the event of this marriage counseling?"

"At least I restrained myself, didn't I?" Zeus defended himself before shrugging. "Besides, the woman was asking for it."

"Alright, well, that's that." Hera stated weakly as she stood up. As she was trudging towards the double doors, she hissed painfully.

Aphrodite eyed Zeus who looked worried when Hera was breathing heavily now. But when the queen of the gods ceased her painful whimpers, she opened the double doors and took off. A loud cry of disturbing pain echoed against the halls, matching the quick steps of the queen's escape.

Silence filled the void of Aphrodite's bedroom as everyone listened to Hera leave the palace in hasty, whimpering steps.

The love goddess turned to Persephone and Amphitrite. "I should also warn you, my queens, that you will be affected by the same curse your husbands receive from the rings. As you've observed earlier, Hera left the meeting before it ended. Seeing as the meeting is a part of the baby steps of the method, she chose to go against it – hindering her progress with Zeus. Don't think for a second that you wouldn't need to adjust to this."

Amphitrite and Persephone exchanged pained looks as they looked after the opened double doors where Hera had ran off to.

Persephone then turned to her father, frowning at him heatedly, "Well, don't just sit there! Go after her!"

The love goddess observed Zeus silently. There was a fine line between anger and regret crossing his features – one battling after the other for domination. But in the end, regret won and with a tired sigh, the king of the gods rose to follow his queen outside.

"So he's not that heartless after all." Aphrodite mused aloud.

"Oh, son of a—" Poseidon interrupted, surprising everyone in the room. He began hopping around the room again, wagging the hand that contained the ring.

"Is that how frequently he thinks of Sally?" Hades asked Amphitrite.

"We've got a long way to go." Aphrodite sighed, tired as early as seven in the morning. She was definitely going to need a mani-pedi… and a day at the spa; with the hopes that both should help soothe the stress of the marriage-counseling shenanigan Hestia put her through.

Honestly, won't anyone give the goddess of love a break?

* * *

 **AN:** That's a wrap, folks! I sure hope you enjoyed it, and please give me some critical, lengthy feedback by commenting/reviewing on the story. -EMPG22HoPe

 ** _Next on "The Aphrodite Method"_**

 _With Zeus and Hera being the only couple that failed to meet the daily task, they must execute the failed task and the new task all together. Will they succeed, or will it turn out to be one hell of a stormy night for the king and queen?_

 **This fanfiction can also be found on Wattpad under my username _MDSummers._**


	5. Chapter 5: Neglect (Z-H)

**The Aphrodite Method**

 **AN:** Gah, finally! A Zera (Zeus/Hera) chapter. I'm quite proud of this one, especially that new bit I gave Hera. Details of that sudden occurrence will appear in future chapters because I can't just give everything away. Also, an early warning for my readers that updates this week (July 6-July 11) will be extremely slow due to my having to study an English subject that focuses solely on essay writing. I might run out of words because each activity makes the student write 500-word essays and they're not really my specialty. Everyday updates will occur again after this week is over. In the mean time, enjoy this chapter!

* * *

 **Chapter Five**

 _ **Zeus**_

"Hera!" Zeus called out as soon as he left Aphrodite's palace.

The sun was already rising the second he stepped outside. Satyrs, nymphs and naiads were already walking the streets of Olympus, dallying about their day. With the crowd growing thicker with gods and creatures alike, finding Hera would be extremely futile.

Zeus ran a hand through his raven locks out of frustration, frowning to himself. Hera was always one for dramatics, running off or walking away from things that made her uncomfortable. But while he's extremely used to that, he still hadn't had the slightest idea as to where she often went to when she did so. He didn't always run after her, merely because he wanted to give her the space she needed. But what if she didn't need space? What if she _did_ want him to run after her?

These thoughts cloud his mind as he went to places where women usually run off to after the big "walk out". He checked their room at the pantheon, her office and the throne room – and yet there was no sign of her. He even checked the kitchens where she frequented in the first few years of their marriage, only to usually find her cooking out her frustrations. But she wasn't there either. He was running out of options.

Just as he was about to give up, he caught a glimpse of Hephaestus walking the gardens. While it was true that Hera and Hephaestus never got along swimmingly, he believed that if Hera wanted to vent to someone – other than Hebe, Hestia or Amphitrite – she would have a soft spot for Hephaestus.

"Hephaestus," Zeus called as he jogged towards his son.

The god of blacksmiths looked up and frowned when he saw him. "How may I help you, father?"

"Have you seen your mother?" Zeus questioned him. "I've been searching all morning and she's nowhere to be seen."

"What did you do this time?" Hephaestus arched a brow at his father.

Zeus pursed his lips. "What makes you think I did something that would have caused it?"

"Well, you're… you." Hephaestus drawled on like it was the most obvious thing. "If Hera decides to to run off to gods-know-where, it most certainly had something to do with you."

Zeus sighed as he massaged his forehead. "Will you please just tell me?"

Hephaestus looked hesitant at first, but after much begging – against Zeus's dignity, for sure – the god of blacksmiths answered, "She's in Ladurée."

"Ladu what?" Zeus's brows creased.

"Ladurée. You know… the French pastry shop down Madison Avenue. Eclairs and chocolates and all that." Hephaestus shrugged. "Which is odd, since she _never_ buys from there anymore. She just stares at the displayed sweets till' she comes home, starving herself."

"Starving herself? What are you – wait, how do know all this?" Zeus asked in confusion.

"I pay attention to my wife, even though she doesn't give me an iota of a glance." Hephaestus explained as he plucked out a dying leaf from a bush. "Aphrodite loves Ladurée, and she was the one to introduce it to Hera. But that's besides the point. I would suggest giving her some space over whatever you did to make her run away."

"What if she doesn't want space?" Zeus questioned hopelessly with a tired sigh. "What if she wants me to run after her?"

"Seriously, you think all women like being ran after?" Hephaestus chuckled as he crossed his arms, turning over to stare at a fountain spewing golden water two feet away from where he stood. "Certainly not Hera. No. Give her some space. According to my wife's cherubs, you failed your daily task yesterday and you have yet to begin with your wife. Perhaps you should start moving back into your pantheon bedroom. That's the very least you could do for now."

Zeus allowed his gaze to drift towards the fountain. Well, _his_ and _Hera's_ fountain. Perhaps his son was right. After all, in the many years of his distance from Hera, he hardly had the time to know anything new about her. Well, he had the time, but he spent that time on… other endeavors.

"Thank you, Hephaestus. You've been extremely helpful to your old man." Zeus patted his son's back gratefully.

"You know," Hephaestus added. "It pays to give your wife some attention, even if she _did_ screw up the balance of our fate by assuming interpretations for the prophecy, as you so lightly put it two days ago."

* * *

Zeus went about his day as he usually did. He held meetings regarding complains from the minor gods, visited Camp Half-Blood once to check on Jason and went on with his kingly duties. Yes, it was just another stressful day to the point that he would need some wine before going to bed.

He left his office after the clock struck nine, leaving a few more paper works to sign and work on tomorrow. Tonight, he would be sleeping in his old room. Well, as many as Hera's lady nymphs would say, _Hera's_ room. And while he did move in some of his clothes, he didn't go all-out, considering how he and Hera still haven't made up after this morning's meeting with Aphrodite.

To be fair, he was only speaking the truth. But perhaps too much of the truth would get him nowhere, particularly with his wife. If Hestia hadn't insisted so graciously on the marriage counseling, none of this unnecessary need to "reconnect" would have happened.

Once he entered the bedroom, his nose caught a whiff of strawberry mixed with liquor. Zeus saw Hera sitting on their king-sized bed, wearing her signature peach nightgown. She had a glass of wine on one hand and a book he couldn't distinguish on the other. Before she heard the sound of the door opening, she had on a natural smile that made the room practically glow as she read her book. But when he entered and she'd heard the door creak, her smile vanished immediately as she turned to eye him.

"Oh, you're here." Hera sniffed disdainfully before closing her book reluctantly and placing her glass of wine on the end table next to her side of the bed. "I can't even enjoy a good book without you ruining it."

"I haven't even done anything yet!" Zeus exclaimed tiredly as he began to take off his coat and untie his necktie rather forcefully. The king of the gods sighed, containing his cool as he went on, "What book were you reading?"

Hera frowned at him. "None of your business."

"Hera—"

"No, seriously. The title is _None Of Your Business._ " Hera tried to explain as she raised the book's cover for him to see. Huh. So it _is_ called none of your business. "What took you so long?"

"I had to finish reading up a contract the Egyptian gods sent this morning." Zeus answered as he unbuttoned shirt. "Well, among other contracts that you had Iris send over. Why are you even passing some of the contracts to me when you're far more knowledgeable about the topics?"

"I took a day off today." Hera said with a wave of her hand. "I had a headache and thought of going out for some fresh air. Besides, I earned it after you so blatantly admitted your attempt at a woman this morning."

"I went too far on that brutal honesty." Zeus admitted before slipping off his pleated pants to reveal his boxers. When he looked at his wife, he saw a blush grace her cheeks. He gave her a smirk. "Don't act like you've never seen it before, love."

Hera's blush deepened as she tripped on her words. "Don't change… the subject, you… you bastard."

Zeus chuckled before walking languidly towards the bed. The mattress sank lightly once he started to crawl towards the head of the bed where Hera was. His wife scooted far from him the second he got there.

"How do you wish to cuddle, wife?" He asked her teasingly.

Hera's frown didn't match well with the blush that was still apparent on her cheeks. "A non-physical cuddle would be much more suitable in a situation like this."

His smirk grew wider as he took his wife's hand and dragged her towards him. The brunette goddess yelped as she was pulled on top of him, and when Zeus felt her breasts press up against his naked chest – they both started blushing furiously.

"Love, it wouldn't be called _cuddling_ if it wasn't so physically dependent." He told her as he slipped his arm leisurely around his wife's back, cradling her to him. He was certainly a large god, but what he loved about it was the fact that Hera fitted so perfectly against him. She was neither too big nor too small. She matched his physique incredibly well, which made cuddling with her a hundred times easier (and better) than with most mistresses.

Hera looked like she was trying to suppress her blush by hiding her face against his chest, turning away from him with a _hmpf_ as she held onto his shoulders _._ "You and your stupid common sense."

Zeus noted the stiffness in Hera's body as she said this. "Hera, relax. I'm not going to do anything… well, _yet_."

She looked up to glare at him and smacked his chest with her fist, causing the lord of the skies to release a groan. "I swear Zeus, if you try anything, I will cut off your balls. And I am telling you, it will not be done pleasantly."

He couldn't help but chuckle at her threat as he shook his head. "I won't try anything. I promise, only because I don't want my balls chopped into pieces like father."

At this, the queen giggled briefly – and before he could catch more of the melodic laugh, she stopped to frown at him. "I'm serious."

"Alright, alright," He nodded seriously now.

As Hera returned to hiding her face in his chest, he immediately noticed the lightness of her weight. Given, his wife was in perfect shape. Emphasis on the _perfect shape._ By Hades, she had (and still has) the most ridiculously gorgeous curves and the best shapely legs, making him the envy of all men. But setting aside her shape, she'd be at least a little heavier than she is right now.

"You seem lighter." He observed quietly against the silence that enveloped them.

"What do you mean?" She asked against his chest in a small voice.

"I mean like you lost so much weight." He explained. "Have you been skipping meals?"

"What? No." She said in defense as she tightened her hold on his shoulders. "I've just been eating less, that's all."

"Less?" He asked, angry upon hearing such a statement from her.

Everyone knew that despite how he treated her, he always made it a point to pamper and spoil his wife. If she wanted the world at the palm of her hand, he would give it to her without even thinking of the consequences. The most important part of pampering and spoiling the life out of his wife was feeding her. It was a long time ago, back when Hera, along with Poseidon, Hades, Demeter and Hestia were trapped in their father's stomach. When he had rescued them, he'd seen the look of weariness and hunger in their faces. And when he had mentally decided to want Hera as his wife, he fed her with all the food he could hunt for – if only to see her true shape before she nearly starved to death in Kronos's stomach. He feared to see that kind of condition on her again, so he always made sure she had a plateful of decadent food.

The fact that he'd neglected that idea for so long made guilt cut through him like a celestial bronze sword. How could he have let her eat _less_ in the months of which he chose to let his ego get the best of his wanting to make amends with her?

"It's not a big deal, Zeus." She whispered.

"Hera, that is most _certainly_ a big deal to me." He said as he tipped his upper body up so that he was now sitting with Hera on his lap. He cupped his wife's jaw and made her look at him. "What did you eat for breakfast?"

"Zeus—"

"Your meal, Hera."

"Three slices of bread and half a grapefruit."

"Lunch?"

"Oatmeal."

"And dinner?"

Hera avoided his gaze at the final question.

Zeus hissed angrily to himself as he cradled her head against his shoulder. His wife's body stiffened in fear at first, but when he had gently pressed her against him, she relaxed. "How long have you been doing this… diet of yours?"

"Five years." She whispered against his ear.

Shit. _Five damn years._ His wife was starving herself for **five damn years.** And he didn't have an iota of a clue about it. He suddenly remembered what Hephaestus had told him earlier; about how Hera always went to that French pastry shop and comes home not buying any, starving herself. If there was a punishment greater than Tartarus, then he will have it. He will have it if it means having Hera to start eating normally again.

"Hera, what the hell have you been doing to yourself?" He asked her angrily this time as he pulled away to meet her eyes. He cupped his hands on her cheeks softly despite his ire as he continued, "How can you do this to yourself? You should be eating roasted beef and mashed potatoes and having pounds of Éclairs and ice cream for dessert. Hell, you should be showering in midnight snacks of cookies and Danishes."

Hera bit her lip as she looked down at her hands, suddenly finding an interest in her well-manicured nails. "That's past what I am now, Zeus. Besides, it's not like I'll _die_ if I eat so little."

"You will to me if you keep eating like that, baby." He told her gently as he kissed her forehead. "Screw tomorrow's busy schedule. I'm taking you out tomorrow."

Hera's eyes widened. "Tomorrow?"

"I want you to cancel your morning activities, all except the one with Aphrodite." He nodded as he caressed her cheek. "You're not eating anything that doesn't involve a platter full of all your favorite meals."

"But Zeus…" She trailed off shyly. "You _really_ don't have to do that. I mean, it's not even supposed to be necessary in the first place. Besides, I have a bidding to go to that early. I don't have time for tha— _shit._ "

Zeus nearly jumped when he heard his wife curse. He saw Hera raise her right hand, showing how her ring finger trembled violently. She was most likely being bitten by the pink ring.

"Then have Iris proxy." He reasoned as he took her right hand, which shivered when he placed a kiss against her ring finger. "Hera, please. Let me make it up to you, especially after this morning. I've neglected you for so long that I've forgotten to take note of the most important highlight of being your husband."

The queen finally sighed, although he wasn't sure if it was out of relief from the subsiding pain of the ring's bite or defeat. "Fine, Mr. Pushy. But _just_ tomorrow morning. My schedule is literally packed for the entire afternoon."

Zeus grinned triumphantly as he lied on his back, pulling Hera down with him. "For once, love, we finally agreed on something mutually useful."

"Don't think that this changes anything, Zeus." Hera told him coldly, her soft, unrelenting demeanor disappearing faster than he could say _Styx._ "I am still utterly mad at you."

"I know, Hera." He sighed tiredly, and when he finally felt his wife fall asleep, he repeated painfully. "I know."

* * *

 **AN:** And that concludes Chapter 5! I had a lot of fun writing this because they're my ultimate Greek mythology/PJO/HOO OTP and well... things get overdone when I write things about these two, if you haven't already seen my other fanfic story entitled "Not So Tough After All". Anywho, lengthy comments/reviews would be most appreciated. And if you have speculations or theories for future chapters, feel free to tell! Who knows? It might just happen... *wink wink* Thank you so much for reading, and I hope to receive some feedback! -EMPG22HoPe

 **Poll: Should I write a short scene on how Zeus and Hera's date went the next day?  
** _Comment/Review **Hades, yes!**_ _if I should_ and _**Eh, skip it** if I shouldn't._

 ** _Next on "The Aphrodite Method"_**

 _With the success of Zeus and Hera's execution of the two daily tasks, they finally join the same wavelength as the other two couples. Aphrodite's next daily task is inspired by the king and queen of the gods's "date", but a particular couple isn't so overly fond of the idea. Will this mystery couple do as told or will they end up having their precious collections stolen?_

 **This fanfiction can also be found on Wattpad under my username _MDSummers._**


	6. Chapter 6: Spontaneity and The Pill

**The Aphrodite Method**

 **AN:** As promised, a late update. I couldn't help myself, honestly. I just _had_ to write this chapter and post it even though the week isn't over yet. But now that I've provided you guys a chapter, expect the next one to be up this weekend... assuming I start writing and posting a new one tomorrow, haha! **Enjoy reading!**

 **Main pairings:** Zeus/Hera, Poseidon/Amphitrite and Hades/Persephone, with some Aphrodite/Hephaestus (soon!)  
 _This story will feature a few PJO/HOO characters as well._

* * *

 **Chapter Six**

 _ **Hera**_

Hera woke up to the sound of the two male voices conversing. The queen stretched on her bed leisurely, grimacing when she felt a shot of pain course through her spine. Had she slept on the wrong side of the bed? When her eyes swept over the room, she saw Zeus's clothes piled next to the balcony. But before she could react to that, she heard the male voices again, and she graced her look towards the door where Zeus stood in his robes, talking to someone outside. The door was open enough for her to not see who he was talking to.

She pulled herself up into a sitting position, resting her back on the headboard as she waited for her husband to finish. He spoke in whispers, so it was nearly impossible to eavesdrop on him. When he was finally through, he closed the door and spun to look at her.

"Oh good, you're awake." He said with a playful grin as he began to walk up to their bed.

"Who was that?" She asked as she fiddled with her nails.

"That was Hermes. I told him to get us reservations." He answered as he sat at the foot of the bed. Thank the gods he made no motion to near her. "I suppose you should get ready. We leave in ten minutes."

She frowned at him. "You were serious about last night?"

Her husband looked pained as he replied, "Of course I was serious. You think I'd let my wife go another day fending off of half a grapefruit and a bowl of oatmeal? No. We're going out for breakfast."

The queen sighed reluctantly as she rose from the bed to walk over towards her vanity. From there, she checked her iPhone and saw the time. It was already eight in the morning. How long had she been asleep, and at the rate of cuddling with her husband too, no less?

"That's a very romantic notion." She commented as she looked at her husband through her vanity's mirror.

He smiled at her proudly. "Really? I thought for sure that was spontaneous."

"Your attempts at spontaneity are fatal, Zeus." She couldn't help but laugh as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. "Just where exactly are we eating breakfast?"

"You'll see." He told her as he stood and walked up to her. When Hera felt him just inches behind her, she turned and was immediately caught in his embrace. "Dress nicely. I will spoil the living immortal out of you today, my queen."

"Very well," She sighed before pulling away from him, much to her dismay for she always found comfort in his arms. "Let me go take a shower first."

Her husband wagged his brows at her. "Do you want me to join you?"

She felt her cheeks go red at that. To hide her embarrassment, she grabbed a fistful of her husband's hair – causing the god to groan painfully. When his arms had slipped off her waist, the queen smiled at him devilishly before dragging him down to her height. "You will do no such thing, you asshole. If you so much as try to insinuate sex with me, I will have you fed to the hounds."

"Feisty." Was all he said when his electric blue eyes met her hazelnut ones. "I miss the fire in your voice, baby. It's absolutely _sexy._ "

Her eye twitched in disgust as she released her husband's hair. "Shower somewhere else, _baby._ "

Before he could say another word to her, she left him to start showering. After finish off, she started searching through her closet as Zeus took the next shower. It had been a long time since Zeus took her out. By a long time, she meant post _World War II_ type of "long time". The minute she found out that he knocked up that bimbo superstar Beryl Grace, her little fantasy of Zeus staying "faithful to her due to the oath" dissipated.

The queen couldn't help but tighten her jaw, trying to suppress the tears and anger that was taking over her senses. Only the sight of her favorite midnight blue cocktail dress made her stop short on her ire. She hadn't worn the material in a while, and when she took it off the hanger to try it on – she felt a whole lot better. Aphrodite had been right. Pretty clothes _do_ make a woman's day.

When she turned to assess herself in the mirror, a grin graced her lips. Despite it being a cocktail dress, the bottom half swayed leisurely whenever she moved. The length was modest enough, just a couple of inches below the knee. The straps of the dress were off-shoulder, revealing her alabaster skin that would surely glisten under the sun. It looked lovely on her, and it would seem that the only problem would be the back part. There was a little zipper that needed, well, zipping up on the back and it was extremely difficult to reach.

Just as she was about to try her third attempt at it, she heard her husband say, "Allow me."

Hera looked up to her mirror to see Zeus, for once, not wearing a pinstripe suit. Well, he did wear the button-up, dark blue polo but it didn't come with coat that always looked too big on him.

She felt his hand hold her waist while the other zipped the dress up. When the zip was finally locked in place, she turned to thank him – although he never let go of her waist. The look on his face once he saw her in the dress was enough proof that she'd chosen the right outfit.

"You expect me not to insinuate sex while you're wearing that?" He asked her in a low voice, causing her to bite her lip shyly. "You look beautiful, love."

"I dress to impress myself, Zeus." She told him as she fixed the mess of her husband's collar. "Now, shall we?"

Thank the gods Zeus hadn't taken her down to New York. The last thing she wanted to do was eat breakfast at some mediocre coffee shop like that infernal doom they call _Starbucks._ Instead of eating breakfast with the rest of the Olympians at the pantheon, Zeus had taken her to one of the all-you-can-eat buffet restaurants in the city. And by city, she meant the Olympian city where ancient and modern buildings meet elegantly. It was, thankfully, just a short walk from the pantheon.

They had arrived at Hebe's restaurant. It was a modern building built with the Greco-Roman design. Everything was furnished in whites and blue – the kind of atmosphere Hera always loved.

Eris, their daughter, who happens to be the receptionist, looked surprised when she saw them.

"Oh!" Eris exclaimed as she turned to look at her parents, then at her clipboard, then back at her parents. "I thought for sure Hermes was joking when he said to make reservations for the two of you."

"Good morning, dear." Hera greeted her daughter with a kind smile.

"Oh, right. Good morning." Eris perked up almost too out of character before putting her clipboard down and escorting them to their table.

Their daughter led them to a private room that only had five two-seater tables. Each table had reserved plaques on them, along with the names of the gods who were to take the seats. As Hera took a seat across Zeus, she noticed one table that had Hebe and Heracles's name on it.

"Looks like we're not the only one having a _spontaneous_ breakfast." Hera commented, mostly to herself as Eris drawled on about the food. Before she could ask her daughter where the salad bar was, the goddess of discord had already disappeared in a whiff of black smoke.

As Frank Sinatra's _Strangers In The Night_ played softly inside the private room, Hera basked in the ambiance of the private room. Despite the beaming sun from outside, the room was dark and mellow, with lowly lit up lights that made it look like it was nighttime. Perhaps, despite her sudden need to enjoy the moment, Zeus had overdone breakfast.

"Come, Hera." Zeus said, snapping her from her reverie. He was now standing next to her side of the table, offering his hand. "Let's go get some food."

Hera's goal the minute they left the private room was to find the salad bar. Much to her futile attempt at roaming around the buffet area, where very few gods and mythological creatures crowded, she couldn't find the salad bar. Zeus may have taken her to an all-you-can-eat buffet, but she was definitely still going to watch her weight.

The queen sighed in frustration as she trudged up to her husband who was picking off slices of roast beef from a golden platter.

He arched a brow at her before he motioned towards her empty white plate. "Haven't found anything yet?"

"Where is the salad bar?" She asked him haughtily.

"Oh, I had Hebe get rid of those." He said as-a-matter-of-fact before moving on towards the pasta.

"Why would you do that?!" She nearly yelled at him, and she was glad she hadn't – otherwise it would have been a scandal to some of the gods that joined them at the buffet area.

"I knew you'd only eat the fruits and vegetables and all that non-sense healthy stuff." He told her as he put his plate down briefly to face her. "Honestly, Hera, after what I said last night – you're still trying to eat less?"

"I was planning to eat a salad before diving in headfirst into the carb-infested food." She corrected, even though she knew it was a lie.

"Liar," He grinned at her as he took his plate, and her empty one with him. "Come on. Just tell me whichever you want and I'll get it for you."

"Zeus…" She sighed irritably, but before she could tell him to stop, he was already asking her if she wanted the sweet and spicy brisket with some kind of chutney she couldn't remember him mention.

Much to her own surprise, Hera was delighted by all the food she and Zeus picked out for her. She hadn't had a good bite of beef or chicken in forever, and it was a surprisingly great change to not eat half a grapefruit for once. As the queen indulged in her meal, she and her husband conversed like… like a regular married couple. They didn't argue, another surprise despite herself, and they made no mention of the prophecy or the condition of how things escalated after the Second Gigantomachy. It felt like she was talking to the man she learned to love millenniums ago.

But in the back of her head, it wouldn't last. Hera didn't expect anything special after their time in the restaurant. In fact, she already had her bets that he'd start going moo-eyed for a nymph the second they stepped out of the building. She learned to accept the fatality of their marriage the hard way.

"It's time for dessert!" Zeus announced excitedly as he rose to escort her outside the private room again.

To be honest, Hera didn't really finish all the food they'd picked out earlier. She still ate, true, but she did it one little portion at a time. The rest, whenever Zeus wasn't looking, she'd transport the unfinished food to someone else's table. Thankfully, nobody complained because it meant more food popping-out-of-nowhere for them.

Hera wasn't exactly sure why Zeus was doing this. Given, he'd been the one to feed her the minute she left Kronos's stomach – but that was ages ago. She didn't understand why he'd fuss over the little diet she's been doing for five years. Besides, she had every right to eat so little after that encounter with Porphyrion.

When she and Zeus reached the dessert table, she swallowed in fear. Images of that time in Porphyrion's mountain flashed in her head, and she nearly collapsed if Zeus hadn't been holding her by the waist.

"Hera?" He asked worriedly. "What's wrong?"

She looked at him, failing to hide the terror in her eyes. "Nothing."

"Hera, there's something you're not telling me." He told her as he tightened his grip on her waist. "What is it?"

"It's nothing, Zeus. Just forget it." She snapped at him in a whisper as she slapped his arm away from her waist. She walked a few steps away from him, trying to build up the courage to take something from the dessert table. Her eyes swept towards little petit chocolate and strawberry cakes, causing her frown to morph into fear.

"Go ahead." She heard Zeus whisper against her ear.

"I-I can't." Hera shook her head, nearly in tears.

Zeus kissed the top of her head from behind as he wrapped his arms around her waist again. He really had a habit of doing that lately.

"I understand." He breathed against her hair. "Do you want to go to Aphrodite's office now?"

Hera could only nod in response as she turned to look at him. There was a certain sadness in his eyes as he met her hazelnut ones, like he was trying to meet her half-way. Did he _know_ the reason why she kept skipping meals?

Zeus offered his arm for her to take, and when she did slip her hand around his taut muscles, he escorted her out of the restaurant. She didn't even ask him if he had paid the bill. Are paying bills in a godly restaurant the same as paying in a mortal one? Hera didn't stick around to find out.

"Maybe we can get donuts?" Hera offered questioningly towards him in a small voice as they began to walk the path towards Aphrodite's palace.

Zeus grinned at her playfully before kissing her forehead and saying, "Yeah, donuts sounds good."

* * *

 _ **Amphitrite**_

"Where could those two be?" Aphrodite asked as she checked her digital clock from time to time, pacing the room graciously. "It's been twenty minutes!"

"Oh, calm down, Aphrodite." Amphitrite spat with a roll of her eyes. If the love goddess so much as complains about another spa reschedule, Amphitrite wouldn't hesitate to deliver sea-fish makeup products to the woman. Perhaps that should shut her up. "I'm sure they'll be here any minute."

"Ten drachmas says they did the deed last night and they're doing it again." Poseidon betted against his wife, gracing her a boyish grin.

"Ten drachmas says you're wrong and that they probably just woke up late." Amphitrite returned the bet.

Her husband's sea-green eyes showed its playfulness as he said, "You're on."

"Charming, and as much as I encourage it – I still need someone to tell me where the king and the queen of the gods are?" Aphrodite interrupted as she leaned her figure against her hardwood desk. "Has anyone tried to contact them?"

"I tried calling Hera's phone." Persephone said as she raised her iPhone. "She kept blocking it. Does she really hate me _that_ much?"

"Oh no, she doesn't hate you, sweetie." Amphitrite cooed at her niece-in-law… or cousin-in-law. She couldn't quite tell with her connection to Poseidon as her husband, Hades being Poseidon's brother and Persephone being Hades and Poseidon's niece. The sea goddess couldn't help but shiver. Was she and Poseidon the only non-incestuous couple in this mountain? "I think your aunt has moved past the whole "hating my husband's bastard children", although it's not to say you are one. Although you technically are one…"

"That's not making her feel any better, Amphitrite." Hades frowned at her, and Amphitrite sighed. Oh, well. She tried.

"No! That's my donut, Zeus!" came the loud cry of Hera's voice from behind the double doors. Amphitrite, with the rest of the gods, turned upon the doors opening to reveal Zeus and Hera in… well, attires not fit for a meeting. Moreover fit for a party, actually.

The most surprising part, to Amphitrite, was the fact that they were holding hands and… fighting over a box of donuts?

"Where have you two been?!" Aphrodite scolded, and the love goddess grimaced. "Oh, by the gods – I'm sounding a lot like Hera now."

"We ate breakfast at Hebe's." Hera answered as she ripped the box of _Olympic Krispies_ from her husband, grinning successfully when Zeus couldn't get it back.

"Hebe's?" Hades asked. "Isn't that an all-you-can-eat buffet? Who eats a buffet at 9:30 in the morning?"

"Nobody tells you how to live your life, Hades. Don't tell us how to live ours." Zeus answered haughtily, but he wasn't angry because he was focusing on getting the box of donuts from Hera as he and his wife entered; the double doors shutting behind them automatically.

"I won." Amphitrite grinned triumphantly at her husband.

Poseidon wagged his finger at her. "Not so, my little seashell. You betted they woke up late. They didn't. So neither of us won."

"At least mine's closer than your stupid assumption." Amphitrite huffed.

"That _is_ quite romantic." Aphrodite commented as the king and queen of the gods sat on the provided love seat. "You've gone way beyond the daily task, which I should give you two credit for. Now do you see what I mean?" she asked as she turned to the other two couples.

"So, I should take my wife to Hebe's every morning?" Hades asked, confused – which caused Persephone to groan hopelessly.

"No," Aphrodite pressed, sharing Persephone's hopelessness by hiding her face in her hand. "I mean, it pays very little to make each other happy. Maybe it paid a lot in their case, since this is _Hebe's_ restaurant we're talking about. But I suppose they get discount for being her parents. The point is – little things could go a long way. A walk in the park, _stargazing_ , just… about anything that'll help you as a couple find your center."

"The only center I'm getting is whether or not I should fire every female in the sea palace just so Poseidon wouldn't start banging them up in a corner." Amphitrite said with a roll of her eyes. While Zeus was known to have more demigod children, he certainly took his mistresses with dignity. Poseidon, on the other hand, didn't care if he was caught trying to impregnate a sea nymph behind the kelp bushes.

"The least you could do is "take" them to a bedroom, uncle." Persephone commented in disgust before turning to Amphitrite. "No offense."

"Non-taken." The sea goddess replied with a wave of her hand.

"Hey, I don't just _bang them up a corner_." Poseidon said rather defensively. "I do try to hide them."

"Your hiding is futile. I can smell sex from three miles every time I come back from Tethys's palace." Amphitrite shot back.

"Your wife's a hunter," Hades commented towards his younger brother. "No wonder you chose her out of all of Oceanus's fifty daughters."

"Right?" Poseidon beamed proudly, mostly to himself.

Amphitrite couldn't help herself when she smacked her husband's arm for the umpteenth time that day.

"Now that Zeus and Hera are on the same wavelength, it's time for your third task." Aphrodite announced with a clap of her well-manicured hands. She started to fiddle through her desk's drawer, throwing out a way-too-pink scarf and a picture frame that went through the wall soundlessly. After scavenging through the drawer, she produced three bottles of what seems to be Hermes's multivitamins. Only it was in a pink bottle, and it was a lot smaller.

"Oh, none of that love magic stuff, please!" Amphitrite begged as Aphrodite each gave one bottle per couple. The sea goddess took the bottle from her husband and read the label. It read in perfect cursive, " _Aphrodite's Survival Pill_ ". From behind the bottle, it mentioned that side effects may include nausea, insomnia and sudden increase in libido.

"What is this rubbish?" Hades asked as he tried to open the bottle.

"Don't! Don't open it yet. Not here!" Aphrodite exclaimed in panic as she snatched the bottle from the god of the dead. "You only open this bottle in case of an **emergency.** "

"What kind of emergency?" Hera asked as she twisted the bottle around, reading its contents. "And why does it say _increase in libido_?"

"You really expect us to have sex in case of emergency?" Poseidon arched a brow before grinning. "That I wouldn't mind."

"Pervert," Amphitrite muttered in disdain.

"The increase in libido is just a side effect. I don't expect you to jump on each other unless you really want to." Aphrodite tried to explain as she handed the pink bottle back to Persephone, rather than to Hades. "Look. This bottle contains _one_ pill, despite the volume of how the bottle looks. Only one of you can eat it during the occurrence of an emergency. One of you will have to carry this at _all times_. Do not lose it. It took me three weeks to brew this pill up."

"So, this is our daily task?" Zeus questioned in between bites of donuts.

Poseidon tried to reach for a donut from the _Olympic Krispies_ box, but Zeus swatted his brother's hand

"Get your fish-scaled hands off my donuts!" Zeus growled menacingly, although nobody would take the lord of the skies seriously if he ever said that sentence again.

"Fish-scaled?" Poseidon squeaked in horror.

"No, this is not your task." Aphrodite answered Zeus's question. "Your task, from lunch till' dinner, is to feed each other."

Poseidon moved on from being called to have "fish-scaled" hands and asked Aphrodite, "Feed each other?"

"Like spoon-feeding each other's food?" Persephone asked. Now she's the one sharing her uncle's former horror. "What kind of stupid task is that?"

"A task that involves _trust_." Aphrodite crossed her arms on her chest before grinning sweetly. "Plus, wouldn't it be so romantic to feed your husband his spoon of ambrosia?"

"I don't know." Amphitrite spat at the goddess. "Have you tried spoon-feeding _your_ own husband?"

"I'd shove that spoon down his throat if I have to." Hera grinned evilly. Amphitrite was glad that her friend hadn't turned moo-eyed for Zeus way too quickly. At least the queen of the gods was aware that such romantic frivolities were not to last.

"No shoving spoons down your husband's throat." Aphrodite scolded, sighing irritably. For once, the sea goddess pitied her. "Just… feed each other, will you? Just for today? And no, you _cannot_ stick a fork up your husband's nose should he start acting like a pain in the ass."

Now, where's the fun in that? Amphitrite thought to herself.

Aphrodite turned to look at Persephone. The queen of the underworld looked like she was about to ask a question regarding the last bit; but she huffed when Aphrodite had already instructed otherwise.

"This meeting is adjourned." Aphrodite announced tiredly. "Do _not_ use that pill unless it's very important, do your daily task and ladies… please try not to kill your husbands."

The last order has proven to be quite difficult when Amphitrite caught Poseidon eyeing a wood nymph from the floor-to-ceiling window of the love goddess's office.

* * *

 **AN:** I guess last chapter's "preview" was a bit misleading with the whole "another couple's going to go against Aphrodite's task". That last bit is actually going to happen in the next chapter, which won't be posted till' the weekend. But anyway, do let me know what you think of this chapter by commenting/reviewing. Some insight from my readers would be amazing! Thank you so much for reading, and stay tuned! -EMPG22HoPe

 ** _Next on "The Aphrodite Method"_**

 _A couple that feeds each other, stays together - or so the old saying goes. But what happens when a particular couple doesn't? And what on earth does the "Aphrodite Survival Pill" have to do with any of this? Will_ The Aphrodite Method _prevail among these couples, or will they be the first to prove that not even the goddess of love can solve matrimonial problems?_

 **This fanfiction can also be found on Wattpad under my username _MDSummers._**


	7. Chapter 7: Towers (P-A)

**The Aphrodite Method**

 **AN:** Thank you so much for being such amazingly patient readers. It's not every day fanfic writers get nice people like you to comment on it. For this chapter, I'm actually going to take one of my reviewers' suggestion – **Sweet Cats** – on trying to write at least a solid 4-5k word chapter. I think her suggestion her suggestion is amazing, and actually quite motivating in its own element. So with that matter in the picture, please enjoy this long-ish chapter that'll hopefully satisfy your reader-hearts. **Enjoy!**

 **PS:** If you enjoy reading with a little music, try listening to "Towers" by Little Mix. This chapter was inspired by that song.

* * *

 **Chapter Seven**

 _ **Amphitrite**_

Amphitrite left the goddess of love's palace faster than anyone could say _Styx._ She kept the _ASP_ (Aphrodite Survival Pill) with her because heaven and hell knows she can't trust Poseidon with that little love magic pill. Although Aphrodite never mentioned that it had anything to do with love, Amphitrite wasn't going to take any chances. If anything, she shouldn't even be taking the very chance of sitting in that pink-infused office everyday – listening to Aphrodite drawl on about helping their marriages. It was simply ironic, for the love goddess herself could not even keep tabs on her own husband.

The minute she thought of running away for awhile merely for the purpose of avoiding anymore of this _Aphrodite Method_ non-sense, the pink ring bit her finger. A gasp escaped her lips as she tried to press at her finger, hoping the pressure would reduce the pain. But it seemed that the more she pressed, the more painful it felt. She could already see gold ichor dripping off her finger.

Fine, she mentally thought to herself. I won't run away, just make this infernal pain stop.

As if reading her thoughts, the bite of the ring released her finger – but it caused more of her gold ichor to drip down her hand. What was the ring made of again? Ceramic and celestial bronze? How was it possible to injure a goddess with such materials? Had Hephaestus made such rings, and if so, did he know how to at least disable it? Such futile questions graced her mind, but she let it slip for a while. She had a birthday party to go to.

Poseidon had promised to meet her for lunch at their sea palace so that they could do their daily task. Frankly, despite all the romantic gestures of the daily tasks, Amphitrite found no sense of even the littlest progress with her husband. Mainly because she refutes him every step of the way, but clearly, her husband was to blame. He was the one who had a blasted child with some blasted, mediocre mortal woman. To think he'd have better taste in women.

Given, they had cuddled and talked about their day like some ordinary couple – but it was clearly just for show. They both knew Aphrodite was watching, and in fear of what had happened to Zeus and Hera when they refused to do the task, they acted for the hell of it. Amphitrite showed no remorse for how she treated Poseidon so coldly lately, and she most likely never will.

When the sea goddess finally arrived at the palace of Doris – her mother – she was greeted by her forty-six Nereid sisters, minus four because there was her, and then there were the triplets whose birthday they were celebrating. Amphitrite always loved to be in contact with all of her sisters, and Poseidon was impressed when she recited all forty nine of them to him one time. You'd think that living with forty nine sisters would confuse you, but truly – the names and faces weren't so difficult to memorize. All of their names either started with an _A,_ a _D_ or a _T._

As she hugged the last of her forty six sisters, new voices came to join the chorus.

"She came! Amphi came!" One of the triplets, Astria, came bounding down the steps of their marble-colored stairs. Behind Astria were Anastasia and Adrina, completing the triplets – both grinning at her with such lovely smiles. They were all so beautiful, like any Nereid was. But they were _downright_ beautiful that they were better called goddesses – with their shiny blonde hair and properly-executed makeup. It was because of their blonde hair that made her dye hers from raven to gold. She envied them in a good way.

The sea goddess was attacked with hugs by the triplets, and she couldn't help but laugh when they all pulled away and started bouncing up and down like little girls.

"We were really scared that you might not come. Mother Doris and… well, basically the whole Olympian world is buzzing with this _Aphrodite Method_ you and your husband are going through." Adrina explained as she led Amphitrite towards the ballroom where hundreds of sea creatures and gods alike have gathered.

"Oh, how is it going, Amphi? Please do tell us!" Anastasia begged as she pouted her lips.

"Oh, you three are such babies. You're the complete opposite, I might add." Amphitrite laughed at her sisters for it was true. The triplets were the eldest daughters of Doris and Nereus and Amphitrite happens to be the fiftieth and final daughter. "It's going swimmingly, no pun intended. I think it might actually work."

She lied. Of course she had to lie. Her eldest sisters treated her with such care, especially since she was proposed the honor of marrying the king of the seas himself. This made Amphitrite mentally sigh to herself. Of all the fifty daughters of Doris and Nereus, he picked **her.** The youngest. The weakest. And most certainly, the ugliest. Well, not really the ugliest – perhaps _less beautiful_ would suffice. But she's been told that she was the most beautiful among them, although she hardly believed the statement coming from anybody, even her own husband. Her sisters were so wary about her that they even suggested the mere idea of joining them for their first honeymoon as bodyguards. Of course, she never allowed them to do that.

"I'll say!" Astria exclaimed as she wrapped her arm around Amphitrite's. "You know, I _did_ try _The Aphrodite Method_ with my husband as well. It's mental. _Completely mental_. But it was remarkably worth it. She's actually better than Hera!"

"How is that even possible?" Amphitrite asked above the noise now when her other sisters started howling at the sound of the music in the ballroom cranking up. "She can't even control her own marriage. By Hades, she sleeps with _everyone_."

"I don't know!" Anastasia answered loudly. "But she did tell you that it was all about reconnecting and renewing your love for each other and not all that technical matrimonial stuff, right? Maybe that's where the method actually works."

"It's a repulsive form of marriage counseling, not to mention the fact that it's extremely degrading." Amphitrite sniffed disdainfully, sounding a lot like her friend, Hera. "It's _madness._ I tried to reason with Hera that maybe we could boycott the situation – but I fear she's gone moo-eyed for her husband all over again."

"Moo-eyed? No, that's not likely." Adrina patted her sister's back. "We know Hera more than herself. She's like a fifty first sister to us, and she's your best friend in the entire galaxy. I'm sure she's trying to see the best in it, but she feigns false hope. I doubt she hasn't learned her lesson the hard way after that first pact was broken."

Amphitrite sighed out of contempt. "I suppose you're right. I might need to have a little chat with her soon – perhaps slap some sense into her. She may be the queen of the gods, but she's still like a younger sister to me and you _know_ how she falls prey for her husband sometimes."

"Who could blame her?" Anastasia laughed. "Her husband is a _stud,_ and an extremely handsome one at that."

"Anastasia!" Adrina and Astria gagged disgustedly. Amphitrite merely laughed.

"Oh, Amphi, what happened to your finger?" Anastasia noticed the younger one's injury. "Did someone hurt you?"

"No, silly. That's the pink ring." Astria interrupted as she came forth to hold Amphitrite's right hand up. "It's the thing that hurts you if you do or think anything that might hinder _The Aphrodite Method_."

"I've been bitten once, but not as bad as the blasted thing drawing ichor out of me." Amphitrite said as she stared at her throbbing ring finger. Mental _and_ crazy. What the hell was wrong with that woman? "Will it heal?"

"It will. It's made with celestial bronze and that can seriously injure a god if the damage is drawn longer. But since it didn't do that, you should be just fine." Astria examined her sister's hand before she started to drag her away from the ballroom, Anastasia and Adrina tailing behind them. "Come on. Let's wash you off before lunch time. I do hope you're joining us."

"I wish I could. **Truly,** I wish I could." Amphitrite pressed as they all entered a restroom, shutting the door behind them – the music from the ballroom still loud enough to reverberate around the restroom's walls. "But Aphrodite's task today would have to come first, quite annoyingly so. I have to spoon-feed Poseidon, and well, he has to do the same to me."

"Oh, _that_ ," Astria laughed as she ordered Adrina to get some bandages from the counter's drawer. "That was my favorite part, actually. It was really sweet, even though I wanted to shove the damn fork up my husband's nose."

"What's so romantic about spoon-feeding your husband?" Anastasia questioned with a roll of her eyes. "If anything, I'd just find that annoying if my husband and I were somehow not in good terms."

"Thank you!" Amphitrite exclaimed as she emphasized Anastasia's point. "He repulses me, a lot more than any self-righteous, womanizing god. If anything, he's worst than _Zeus._ I would rather shove a spoon down his throat."

"Or pluck his balls with the fork." Adrina joined in as she handed the white cloth bandages to Astria.

"You guys are so mean. We should be _encouraging_ her about this." Astria scolded as the Nereid drew Amphitrite's hand towards the sink. Anastasia opened the pipes, and water splashed coldly against her ring finger; causing the sea goddess to hiss painfully. "Hold still, Amphi. Alright, all I'm saying is that Aphrodite's method is a ten-fold guarantee. It works on _everybody,_ and while their marriages still experience turbulences, they just check "the box" and all goes back to the way it was."

"The box?" Amphitrite gasped, failing to hide her pain as the cold water splashed mercilessly against her injured finger.

"Oh, the box is _the best_ part. You'll get there one day, little sister." Astria finally shut the water, much to Amphitrite's relief. The golden ichor that once drenched her hand was gone, and when Adrina wrapped the white cloth bandage around her ring finger, she felt a little better. "But for now… you still have a long way to go."

"Yes, indeed." Amphitrite sighed hopelessly. "A _very_ long way to go."

* * *

 _ **Poseidon**_

The lord of the seas spent his entire morning searching for Hephaestus, while simultaneously trying to avoid his assistant, Delphin, who was trying to ring him up on his meetings for this afternoon. While he did have the morning free, he still found it work-related with Delphin constantly reminding him. Hell, the little guy practically put an alarm on his iPhone every five minutes – a gadget he hardly knew how to function. Curse those incessant mortal gadgets.

Gods and creatures questioned his search for his nephew, but Poseidon didn't feel like telling them the sad tale of how the lord of the seas was being so painfully defeated by some gods-forsaken ring that bit you like a bitch if you even _looked_ at a nymph. He needed to find Hephaestus because if there was one god capable of creating the infernal contraption, it had to be him.

After what felt like a futile search, he finally found Hephaestus – hiding in his little forge as always. Why Poseidon hadn't thought of that in the beginning, he had no idea. The sea god entered the forges with caution. Everything was hot. _Literally._ The whole place was a torture chamber for sea deities. Poseidon felt the dehydration the minute he took two steps into the place.

"Oh, uncle." Hephaestus greeted, and when his nephew noted the quick production of his beads of sweat – he let go of his hammer and removed his gray apron caked in oil and black soot before saying, "Perhaps we should converse in a more oxygen-friendly environment."

Much to Poseidon's relief, there was a lake near the forges – and when he sunk his foot in the water, he immediately felt better.

"So tell me, uncle." Hephaestus started, though he made no motion to join him by the lake. "What brings you here?"

Poseidon frowned, mostly to himself. "Did you create these blasted rings Aphrodite gave us?"

"Oh, you mean the blue and pink rings?" Poseidon heard humor in his nephew's voice. "Yes, I did. And for the umpteenth god who asked the same question, _no_ – it cannot simply be "removed by magic" or "disabled" or whatever tech-y term you think I'd give you."

"You haven't even given me the chance to question it." The lord of the seas sighed as he relieved his feet from the water and stood. "So there is, without a doubt, no way to remove it?"

"It can only be removed under Aphrodite's command or until you've accomplished her methods." Hephaestus explained as he leaned his figure against a tree. "In which case, I apologize in advance. My wife tends to be very specific."

"Some wife, huh." Poseidon told him.

His nephew shrugged. "It's one of the joys of being me."

"Do you ever just… talk?" He asked the younger one curiously.

"Talk? Me and Aphrodite?" Hephaestus questioned humorlessly. "She loathes me. She despises me. She thinks I'm worthless and unrefined. She told me that being married to me was the greatest curse the Fates have brought upon her. I am nothing more than a tool to her."

Poseidon tried to find the pain in his nephew's voice, but all he heard was anger, regret and the failure of not being enough. He didn't exactly know how to address his sudden admittance. Frankly, Poseidon was not one to be a giver of advice. That was Hestia's job. But to be treated by your wife in that way… if Amphitrite had treated her that way…

"Did you ever love her?" Poseidon was surprised to hear himself say those words.

"I thought I did. Once upon a time." His nephew showed a hint of a smile but quickly grimaced to rid of it. "I tried to be what she wants. We set ground rules, but those rules eventually disappeared when she started living with Ares. I gave her everything she wanted, except a good-looking husband."

"I don't see how you deserve to be treated like that for not being _good-looking_." Poseidon commented tersely. Hephaestus wasn't "good-looking", per say. But he did have strong, crooked features that the sea god never, not once, frowned upon. He had his own unique look to him, and yet he didn't get how being uniquely different in looks makes you a freak. "You aren't perfect because the Fates know not even us gods are. But you're still a god, a living being that graced nothing but the finest created materials. If Aphrodite can't see through that, then maybe _she's_ undeserving of her title as the goddess of love."

"If you could make her say that to me, that'd be great." Hephaestus tone lightened up as he shook his head. "It's fine, uncle. She has her affairs, I have mine. Though I bore very little, at least I know that I'm not incapable of being loved."

"Zeus and Hera loves you, even if they don't show it that much. Your aunts love you. Hades and I love you. Your sisters love you." Poseidon placed a hand on his nephew's shoulder. "If you ever think for a second you're still incapable of being loved, then you remember us."

Hephaestus grinned brightly now before saying, "Thank you. Although that little speech _still_ doesn't help you get rid of the ring."

"I thought you might say that." Poseidon chuckled as he patted his nephew's back. "Know this, Heph. If she's willing to try… to at least find a center with you… give her a second chance."

"You're sounding a lot like her. Is that _Aphrodite Method_ rubbing off on you?" Hephaestus shook his head in amusement. "I promise, assuming she ever does so – which I highly doubt. But enough about me – I think you're late for lunch."

"Lunch?" Poseidon arched a brow in question before realizing what his nephew meant. "Lunch! Amphitrite! That blasted task!"

"You're a dead god." Hephaestus started to chortle at this when Poseidon started running towards the lake.

"I might as well go to the Underworld." Poseidon muttered to himself as he disappeared into the lake – a menial shortcut back to the sea palace.

Amphitrite was not happy when he arrived five minutes late. She was tapping her well-manicured fingers against the marble table, frowning at him impatiently once he took his seat beside her. In retrospect, his wife wasn't usually like this. She was literally the epitome of kindness and gentleness, and she bore no ill will towards his demigod children (except for Percy, though he hoped that his wife would start working on that). The only reason she was acting like a secondary Hera was because he started taking interest in some of the nymphs again. An excuse for that action does not exist, even for himself.

The dining hall was majestic in design, with white marbles and intricate sea-green colors that brought a special ambiance to the place. In the middle was their table, and it was altered to fit six people – him, his wife, Triton, Rhode, Benthesikyme and much to his recent dismay, Kymopoleia. Their daughter, Kymopoleia – was known to be the sea version of Zeus and Hera's daughter, Eris. He and his wife had rid of her for a while, considering the number of damages she's done. But as of recent events, she had been given credit for helping Percy and Zeus's Roman demigod child, Jason. Although Percy had insisted on Kymopoleia's return to the sea palace, he was still wary of what his daughter might do.

"Well, at least he showed up." Kymopoleia snickered from the right side of the table. Ah, speak of the devil.

"I bet you three golden seashells he went up to visit Perseus Jackson." Triton spat distastefully.

"Now, Triton – you don't simply regard your brother that way." Amphitrite scolded, although he could read the sarcastic smirk on his wife's face.

" _Half_ -brother, mother." Rhode rolled her eyes as she chucked on a piece of chicken.

Benthesikyme huffed indignantly. "The fact that we have any relation to him at all is dissatisfying."

"I don't think he's that bad." Kymopoleia shrugged. "Half-witted, I'm afraid. But not _that_ terrible. I _did_ save him, you know."

"You should have let him drown." Triton commented with a grin.

"That's enough, all of you." Poseidon ordered brusquely. He didn't show that much anger, but he sure as Hades will do so if they don't stop talking about Percy like he's some outcast who did nothing but trouble. "You will do well as to respect Percy."

"We try, but…" Rhode started.

"Rhode, enough." Amphitrite's firm voice resounded throughout the dining hall. "Please convey a more adequate discussion. The last thing I want for this family to look like is Zeus and Hera's – dysfunctional. Now please, converse in a matter that doesn't involve Percy Jackson – and try not to kill each other."

"Yes, mother." His children replied reluctantly, and in the blink of an eye – they began talking about the latest sea kelp shake.

"I would have grounded them from going up to land and they still wouldn't listen to me." Poseidon remarked tiredly as he started to pick up a portion of a chicken using his fork. "How do you do it?"

"I am their mother, my lord. It is only proper that they fear me when _I_ reprimand them." Amphitrite replied solemnly as she looked at him. Poseidon was surprised when she regarded him as _my lord_ now. Talk about giving the cold shoulder. "It would do you well to spend some time with them, despite your busy schedule."

"Assuming they want to spend time with me." Poseidon raised the fork with the chicken. "Open wide, my little seashell."

Amphitrite raised a brow at him before reluctantly obliging. When she finally took a bite out of the chicken, she started talking between chews, "Oh, they do. They just very rarely show it since you harness so much favor towards Percy; they think he's your favorite."

"Oh." Was all he could say as Amphitrite fed him a small portion of a carrot. He's sincerely proven guilty by that since he _did_ , in most ways, call Percy his favorite son. Triton definitely did not appreciate that.

"It's a matter of your relationship with our children, Poseidon. This is no longer my problem." Amphitrite said before he fed her a portion of the vegetables.

"You're awfully calm today." He observed as he put his fork down.

She shrugged. "I simply refuse to start an argument."

"And awfully formal in words." He added.

His wife sent him a glare. Ah, there she is. "You will do well not to test my kindness, my lord. Such kindness wears thin as it is with patience."

What is wrong with her? "Amphitrite, talk to me."

"I already am."

"No, I mean… _talk_ to me. One minute you're gentle, the next you look like you want to raise hell. What is it with that?"

This time, she sighed in defeat as she, too, put her fork down. So spoon-feeding time was over?

"Poseidon, I am willing to try this method – much to my dismay." She looked down at her fingers that intertwined agitatedly on the table. "It took a while for me think it over, but my sisters… well, they're very… supportive, and thus they convinced me to give this a shot."

"So you're saying you don't want to do this for show anymore?" He asked, surprised to find himself taking one of her hands and twining them with his own.

"Yes, that is what I'm saying." She answered as she squeezed his hand. "Besides… I'm also doing it for the children."

"The children?" He averted her sudden gaze to look at his son and daughters. They were laughing about a joke Benthesikyme and Kymopoleia made that coke started to spurt out of Triton's nose, emitting more laughter from the group. He tried not to laugh at that, given his current situation with his wife.

"I just want them to see that we're capable of fixing. That somehow, we can be the kind of model they want once they get married." She bit her lip. "Rhode is currently having some doubts about her husband, Helios, merely because she's scared that he might one day turn out to be like the rest of the Greek men: selfish, insensitive and unfaithful."

He was surprised to hear this. Rhode never doubted Helios, but perhaps due to his recent flop at the oath – his daughter would think that her own husband would somehow come out of his shell and turn out to be just like her father. He did not like the thought of that. And yet, it was sad to think that he knew nothing new about his children other than the fact that they were still adjusting after the Second Gigantomachy.

"You think I'm selfish?" He asked, pain lacing his voice.

"I'm not saying you are, nor are you insensitive. But you did share a great deal of that, especially unfaithfulness, when you've decided to take Sally Jackson." She smiled at her husband sadly.

"That's not…"

"You shouldn't deny something you know you did. That would be giving a great deal of cruelty towards the person you're lying to."

Before he could say anything, she released his hand and rose gracefully from her seat. She looked at her husband pointedly as she said, "I've lost my appetite, and I simply must attend to my duties. I hope to see you at dinner tonight, my lord."

And in a heartbeat, she disappeared – leaving a trail of bubbles and the scent of fresh seaweed.

* * *

 _ **Amphitrite and Poseidon**_

Poseidon decided that he would have a picnic dinner with Amphitrite at the shores of Montauk Beach. Given, it was a stupid-ass idea considering how that's where he and Sally met. But to be fair, he had a his wife was willing to give their wrecked marriage a shot, then so be it. After all, he had missed the old Amphitrite and was certainly bothered by the new, snarky one. It would serve him well to bring back his sweet, gentle loving wife. Accepting the need to make up with his wife is like a painful "in your face" kind of throw to his past, which, metaphorically was his time at that particular beach.

For all it was worth, Amphitrite tried not to act like a terrible person when she came to Montauk Beach. Perhaps it was the candle-lit picnic dinner laid out for her, but why her husband thought that it was going to grace them "progress" by dining at the very beach where he and Sally met, she had no idea. She strained herself as best as she could from throwing a fit at him, only because he'd made such an effort with tonight.

 _Progress_ ; they promised themselves.

And so they spent the night conversing, mostly about their children at Poseidon's request. He wanted to know what was going in on the family, in a way that'll help him catch up easier should he decide to spend some quality time with them. From what he heard: Triton has a water nymph girlfriend (which was surprising, considering how Poseidon thought his son had a fancy for men). Rhode was starting to build her own sea-themed hotel at the island named after her, despite Helios's dislike towards the idea. Kymopoleia was a lot less destructive than most people claimed after her sudden dislike for her husband, Briares, the hundred-handed one. Benthesikyme was getting into surfing, much to her husband, Elos's – the Ethiopian king – surprise. Overall, his daughters weren't doing so well matrimonial-wise and the only one who seemed to be a lot more carefree than he could possibly imagine was Triton.

But nonetheless, Amphitrite was glad to share the news to her husband. Usually the sea goddess would prefer to have Poseidon go his own way with their children, but seeing as he wanted to know and was curious – she was pleased to give away just the right amount of information. It could, at least, help him find other children to think about other than Percy. Ugh. Just the sound of the child's name repulsed her, but alas, she had yet to accept the boy.

Their conversation and their constant humorous attempts to get at each other when irritated was as it should look and feel like: a normal, bickering and forgiving married couple who was trying. But that sense of tranquility dispersed when Amphitrite mentioned a beach house.

"What's that over there?" Amphitrite pointed to a small, cabin-like beach house towards the far corner of the beach.

"That?" Poseidon asked nervously just as he had made the plates of delicious food (now empty) disappear with a flick of his hand. "Oh, that's… uh…"

"Oh," She said shyly, her cheeks tinting red and she looked away. "How quaint."

"Amphi…"

"No, it's fine. I'm sorry I asked."

"Amphitrite, can you please let me finish for once?"

She gaped at him, almost angry. But she nodded nonetheless.

"I've moved on from Sally, okay?" He pressed rather desperately. "Yes, I fell in love with her. But that was ages ago – a distant past that we don't need to bring up. The fact that you think I'm a sad, hopeless romantic thinking she'd come running back to me is degrading. I'm a god, Amphitrite and while I may look reluctant to give up on something beyond my reach – I know when to stop. She's married and I've accepted that for five years now."

"You think I'm upset because you couldn't move on from Sally Jackson?" She laughed at her husband bitterly as she withdrew from cuddling with him, though she had no idea how they ended up doing that in the first place after dinner. "I admit I'm still feverishly bitter about your so-called "romance" with Sally, considering the fact that we were at the height of our marriage when you so desperately clung to her. But my bitterness towards the matter is not the very reason why I've decided to go cold. You have been pursuing nymphs left and right like the man-whore you are. Just your typical, average day, right? I thought for sure you'd change after that fiasco with Sally, but it seems you've gone back to your old ways no thanks to her."

"Do not blame Sally for my recent endeavors, Amphitrite." He growled as he sat up now, glaring at his wife. "You leave her out of this, or I swear…"

"See?!" She spat at him as she, too, sat up. "Sally this, Sally that. You say it's over, and the next it's not. So what if I choose to blame that blasted mortal? She's the reason you screwed up in the first place."

"Amphitrite." He said her name dangerously this time, but his wife didn't seem like the type to back down.

"Go ahead." She challenged him. Her husband had already drawn his trident out, its three tips pointing inches away from her neck. "Do you want to hurt me, Poseidon? Hit me? Chain me to the sky, perhaps? Do what you must, _my lord_ – and we'll see who the better person is."

Poseidon was tempted. Oh yes, very tempted. He wanted to strangle the life out of her, keep her locked up in the sea tower or have her guarded by one of the sea monsters for days. He would do them in a heartbeat if it hadn't been for the fact that he would never do that, despite his temptations. He could never hurt her. It's because he loved Amphitrite, and he had hurt her already once – terribly. From that awful memory forth, he pledged never to do it again. Just the thought of the memory sent haunting chills down his spine.

He loosened his point at his wife, allowing the trident to land on the picnic blanket with a small thump.

Amphitrite breathed out, but she maintained her cold demeanor – as if daring him to do that reckless act towards her again. She lied back down on the picnic blanket, and when she patted the empty space beside her – Poseidon joined her.

They intertwined back into their form of cuddle, as per Aphrodite's requirement during the method. The last thing Poseidon heard from his wife before he fell into a terrible, dreamless sleep were words he never thought his wife would say.

"You're a monster."

* * *

 **AN:** This chapter took longer than expected, probably because I discovered about Kymopoleia and some of Poseidon and Amphitrite's other children way too late. I tried my best to get into detail about these gods lives, especially Amphitrite's since there's a universal debate on whether or not she's the daughter of Nereus or Oceanus. Overall, it was tiring yet at the same time extremely satisfying. I enjoyed writing about this couple, and I hope you liked how I interpreted them. Please leave a comment/review on what you think of this chapter, and stay tuned! –EMPG22HoPe

 _ **Next on "The Aphrodite Method"**_

 _Our couples will now begin the first trial of The Aphrodite Method, unaware that it's happening, of course. Will they set aside their differences and find a way to succeed or will they suffer for days due to reluctance? And what on earth is up with the Survival Pill?_

 **This fanfiction may also be found on Wattpad under my username** _ **MDSummers.**_


	8. Chapter 8: The First Trial

**The Aphrodite Method**

 **AN:** Early warning: This chapter is _hella long_. So long it could be cut into two - but I thought it just didn't feel whole if I tried to cut off the parts. In compensation for my incoming late updates this coming week due to my rereading of the PJO/HOO series, here is a 9k+ words dedicated to all the readers who **favorited, followed** and **reviewed** this story. I never would have mustered the strength to continue without you guys.

At the author's note below, I will be answering the questions asked via review - so if you have any more, feel free to ask via PM or review and I will reply on the next chapter.

To get a better feel of this chapter, you may listen to a particular video in YouTube by searching ""CLARITY" by Zedd [Official Cover by KIM VIERA]" because believe it or not, it's the ultimate song for all of these couples.

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter Eight**

 _ **Persephone**_

Persephone woke up to the sound of water churning. She thought that maybe Hades was awake and he was just readying the bath for her, like he usually did back in the days. But she knew that he wouldn't be doing that. Besides, how _could_ he be doing it when he was lying right next to her? At least, she _assumed_ he was lying right next to her.

What followed after the sound water was the sound of pounding – loud and relentless, and when the spring goddess finally woke up, she found her husband punching the wall. But that's the problem, you see. He wasn't pounding his fist against a wall. Rather, he was pounding his fist against a wall of disgusting, pink-ish glands – something her godly eye could not decipher.

She checked her surroundings and nearly turned over last night's meal at the sight. The floor was made out of different shades of color, varying between brown, pink and red. But instead of having a flat floor, it creased up like little bumps; and if you somehow step on them, you'd end up with gooey liquid on your sandals. At least that's what she saw every time Hades lifted his foot. What raised the hair on her skin most was the fact that she could hear a faint heartbeat reverberate against the room, although whether it was the room or her own heartbeat – she couldn't tell.

Her eyes finally swept towards Hades, who was clawing and desperately punching his fist through the wall. But much to her husband's sheer effort, she only saw the wall sink with every punch and come right back up with a _pop_ like he was punching Jell-O.

Thank the gods she was on a makeshift hammock, otherwise she would have freaked out if she somehow slept on top of repulsive organs. Persephone sneered disgustedly as she finally stood, nearly slipping at the sleekness of the bumpy floor.

"Hades," Persephone called out to her husband, but he didn't pay attention to her.

He pounded, kicked and punched the wall – but to no avail. It was a hopeless case, and she didn't understand why he's doing it or how they even got here in the first place.

"Hades!" She raised her voice this time, which finally got his attention. Hades turned to look at her with bloodshot eyes, and her heart nearly tore itself when she saw tears streaming down his cheeks.

"'Seph, I'm so sorry I got you into this." He shook his head dejectedly, like somehow it was his fault that they were trapped inside a… well, she assumed it was a stomach. But her anatomy could be wrong, since she never really paid attention to her mother's Biology lessons. "I'm so sorry, my love."

"Hades, what are you talking about?" She asked as she tried to cross towards him between the non-bumpy parts of the floor. "Where are we?"

"We have to get out of here." Hades' eyes were widening in fear now, and as she got closer – she noticed that he was sweating… _a lot._ His clothes clung to his athletic build almost appreciatively, but she couldn't think of her husband's body at a time like this. "There has to be a secret door… or a passage."

He talked in fast-paced words now, mumbling to himself like a madman which nearly scared the wits out of her. She tried to reach out to him with her hand, but he growled menacingly even though he was faced away from her.

"Hades, please tell me where we are." Persephone pleaded, trying not to cry at the sight of her husband. He didn't look like his regular self – the confident and brooding one. No. He looked like a lost child filled with fear. He had that look that says it was his fault. She couldn't handle it. "Please let me help you."

"How can you help me, my love…" He shook his head this time as he turned to her again. He finally left the wall to near her. She nearly took a step back because his eyes were scaring her now – like the living soul was sucked out of him. "…if I cannot even help myself?"

Persephone was extremely confused now – but then she remembered a particular story as she examined the room once more. The glands of a stomach… a large intestine... the crazed, helpless look in Hades' eyes… She finally understood where they were, only after the second her husband started screeching apologies to his siblings out of nowhere.

* * *

 _ **Zeus**_

Zeus was not in the best of terms with his wife last night. As soon as he thought that they were doing so well, "reconnecting" as Aphrodite would put it, they delved into argument – particularly towards the prophecy and the cause of the Second Gigantomachy. Perhaps it could not be helped. They were Zeus and Hera after all. One would be surprised if they didn't go a day not throwing a bunch of vases (all the workings of Hera) and profanities at each other. But today simply was not the right time to argue or throw 1975 antique vases at each other like madmen. No, not when his wife was curled up in a corner and rocking herself back and forth, mumbling incoherent words to herself.

He woke up to the sound of her cries, and when he saw that he was lying on a makeshift hammock and not on the velvet sheets of his bed back in Olympus – he knew that they weren't anywhere near home. He had only been in that room for five minutes, trying to examine where they are before he finally got to Hera.

She was still curled up against the corner of the disgusting room. Everywhere he stepped, transparent goo stuck to the shoes he wore during Olympian meetings – although why he woke up dressed in the outfit he always wore, he had no idea. Hera, on the other hand, was shrouded in her golden dress – her signature look that made anyone tremble should she frown in such a lovely outfit, but she didn't carry confidence with her as she wore it.

"Hera, what are you moping about?" He asked her, trying his best not to gag at the scenery of the room they were in… _trapped_ in. When he finally reached her, he crouched down and tried to touch his wife – but she recoiled as if she was Icarus that flew too close to the sun.

Hera finally looked up to him, and just the sight of her made his legs wobble weakly. Her eyes were bloodshot from all the crying which ruined the beauty of her chocolate eyes. Her brown hair was a rat's nest, with little strands standing here and there as if she forgot to comb it before she started pinning it up. She looked restless, hungry and simply tired – whether it's from crying or mumbling nonsense to herself he couldn't tell. Either way, she looked broken – and it terrified him.

"Hera," He said her name softly this time as he knelt before her, ignoring the goo that disgustedly stained his blue pants. "Hera, baby, what's wrong?"

"Please get me out of here…" She begged him in a small voice. It sounded raspy, like she'd been consuming cigarettes all night. Her body trembled as her eyes shifted from helplessness to pure, utter fear. She searched the room with her eyes and when it looked like she realized where she was again, she started screaming. "Please help me!"

"Hera, calm down." He tried to reach out to her, but her body spasmed and he feared that if he even tried to touch her with a finger, she might crumble to dust. "Do you know where we are?"

Instead of answering him, her body thrashed as she tried to get up. She kicked at the bumpy floor, sending goo flying over to him, and she punched at the walls that looked like the inside of a skin, only to have her hand retract and for the wall to bounce back like Jell-O. His wife had gone mad.

"Hera!" He yelled at her, and that was definitely a mistake because she thrashed more violently this time, screaming Ancient Greek curses and cries like a madwoman. When he finally got a firm hold of her shoulders, she stopped before looking up to him with tired eyes.

"Please, Zeus." She tried to string her words, and he could hardly understand her as she started sobbing. "Please get me out of here. I don't want to be here anymore. Please save us. You can save us, right? You have to. It's your destiny… the prophecy… you have to…"

"Hera, why are you mumbling like that?" He was scared now. For the life of him, he didn't even know where they were. When he tried to call the forces of lightning and thunder – nothing resounded but the sound of a faint heartbeat. His godly powers seemed useless against wherever they were. It was a small room, but it could fit a hundred people given the right size.

Before he could ask his wife more questions, she started screaming again – and this time, he couldn't help but mimic her when she put her hands against her ears. He tried to block the sound of Hera's screams, but the sound went straight through his ears.

Now _he_ felt helpless. He ignored her screeching as he leaned closer this time, and before she could push him away – he held her trembling body. It broke his heart seeing her like this: hungry, dejected, hopeless… she almost looked like… like…

He kissed the crown of Hera's head as she sobbed into his chest, holding on to his shoulder for dear life as she dug her nails almost violently against his skin. He hissed to ignore the pain, because he knew that there was a far greater pain – and that is seeing his wife calling out to their siblings for help, like she'd given up all hope of him saving her.

* * *

 _ **Amphitrite**_

The last thing Amphitrite wanted to deal with right now is Poseidon, especially since last night's supposedly romantic dinner – only to end in one of those cold, unquestionable misunderstandings. It was, partly, her fault; she would lay waste to admit that. But heaven and hell knows he _did_ do something stupid last night too. In fact, far more stupid than what she did. If anything, people should just call them the _stupid couple_ because frankly, they're more dysfunctional than Zeus and Hera put together.

When she woke up to find Poseidon surveying the room that was _definitely_ not their sea room back in the sea palace – much less Montauk Beach where they last fell asleep – she couldn't help but frown. It was time to continue their argument last night, and it was sad to think that they let their "marriage" work by fending off of each other's hatred.

"What do you think you're doing?" Amphitrite asked him coldly, sitting up from what appears to be a makeshift hammock. The room looked disgusting due to the pink walls that were gooey and throbbing. The floor was made out of little bumps, much similar to the walls; and as the walls contracted, a faint heartbeat resounded. She didn't know where they were, but she couldn't just sit there looking like a helpless damsel in distress. She had a husband to argue with.

"Poseidon!" She called out to him, but he just sat there in the middle of the room, cross-legged as he looked around, as if in a trance. His eyes looked glassy, almost transparent from this angle – but when she had crossed the room, much to her disgusted dismay due to the floor – she found that his eyes were bloodshot red.

"Poseidon?" She asked in a softer voice this time. It looked like he had been awake for hours. Perhaps it wasn't even _just_ hours. Perhaps he'd been awake _all night._

Poseidon finally turned to look at her. His hair was disheveled, like it hadn't been combed in ages. His body slacked, which was unusually like him because he always sat with such swaggering confidence. And if she peered closer, it looked like he had more wrinkles than he necessarily should – like he'd aged decades, which was impossible considering their being immortal.

What her husband did next startled her. He started crying. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he looked at her, shaking his head as if denying her something she didn't know. Before she could wipe his tears off with the hem of her sea-blue dress, he started wailing – like the sound of the sea crashing violently against an unfortunate city. She tried to block out the noise by putting her hands to her ears, but the sound went straight through.

"Poseidon, stop that!" She pleaded, but her husband made no effort to stop. Instead, he stood up and ran towards the wall – punching, kicking; but as he sunk his fist and foot, the wall stretched backwards and it popped right back up like he'd been fighting with a really elastic pillow.

"Poseidon!" She sounded desperate now as she followed him to where he was kicking and thrashing like crazy. She's never seen him like this. Sure, she'd seen him angry that he'd start punching walls and ripping corals off their stems. But she'd never seen him punching walls because he felt trapped. "Poseidon, please talk to me!"

"It's too late, Amphi. We're never going to get out." He told her as he leaned his head against the disgusting wall – pounding his fists over and over. "I'm so sorry, Amphi. I'm so sorry I got you into this. Nobody's going to save us. We can't… we can't…"

"What are you talking about?" She asked as she tried to near him, to maybe reach out and see if she could snap some sense into him. But he moved away from her, as if he knew she'd do that. "Poseidon, where are we?"

This time, Poseidon laughed maniacally. Crazy. Her husband had gone crazy. He shook his head against the glistening wall before turning to look at her with crazed, bloodshot eyes. "This is all my fault. I put you through this. I… I…"

"Poseidon, stop it!" Her voice quivered, but she stood her ground as she marched up to him. He looked at her, stunned. She took his arm off the wall, grimacing at the ick of what seems to be transparent goo before ignoring her disgust and pulling her husband towards her.

"Please don't blame yourself." She whispered to him, and when he snaked his arms around her – she felt secure. "Why would you? Where exactly are we that you think it'd be your fault why we're here?"

"Please help me, Amphi." His voice shook violently as did his body. She was scared to tighten her grip in fear of breaking him in half despite his strong build. "Please get me out of here. I don't want to be here. You have to… you have to help me."

"Poseidon, I…"

"You have to help me!" He pulled away from her this time, and when she looked to him – tears were streaming down his face as he pulled at his raven hair violently, ready to rip them out like mindless little corals. "I can't stay here! I can't live another second knowing I'm here again! Amphi, please help me!"

"Let me. Just calm down, please!" She cried right back at him and she felt her eyes start to water. Wherever they were, it brought back bad memories for her husband. She, on the other hand, had no idea what could be more terrible than mortals enforcing oil spills. "You know where we are, and if you could just tell me – maybe I can help you."

"Oh, my little seashell," He laughed bitterly, but tears continued to slip down his cheeks. What was wrong with him? He shook his head at her. "Have you not noticed?"

"Poseidon, stop talking in riddles." She nearly yelled at him for that. This whole fiasco was getting really frustrating. "I can help you. Just _tell me_ where we are."

"I…" His face fell this time as he looked at the bumpy floor. "You can't."

"But you just said—"

"You can't! Nobody can! Nobody escapes unless we're saved from the outside."

"Poseidon…"

"You can't save me, Amphitrite. You can never save me."

"From what?" She took a step forward now, nearing her husband cautiously. "I can never save you from what, Poseidon?"

He looked up to meet her gaze, and what her husband said in reply nearly made her collapse.

"You can never save me from my father's stomach."

* * *

 _ **Persephone**_

They've been stuck in Kronos's stomach for… well, who could tell time in the stomach of the Lord of Time? It felt like hours, perhaps an entire morning… assuming it's morning. But what really struck Persephone in question is as to _how_ and _why_ they were in there. How could they if Kronos was back in Tartarus? Why were they when… well, perhaps there's a logical reason to that. But why put _her_ inside as well? She just couldn't put the pieces together, not when her husband was sulking. Now he _truly_ looked like the king of the dead.

His shoulder-length hair was a mess, like he'd been pulling at it the whole time she was asleep. His entire body shuddered every now and then as he moved to sit on each corner of the four walled room. How could a stomach have four walls? He had looked like he'd seen a ghost, and frankly that was ironic considering how seeing ghosts would be something of normalcy for him. Overall, she had lost a grip of her own husband.

He walked around, too – examining the walls, pinching at the bumps on the floor and muttering to himself incoherently every once in a while. She gave up trying to talk to him when he told her to sit back at the hammock and relax while he tried to find a way out. But she couldn't sit still for long, not when her husband was trying so hard to save them. She will _not_ be the damsel in distress this time.

"Hades." Persephone said his name softly, and although it was below the sound of her husband's mumbling, he heard her. His eyes were still bloodshot, although she wasn't sure if it was due to lack of sleep or crying. "Let me help you. You can't just make me sit here and do nothing."

"You _will_ sit there, Persephone." Hades regarded her almost coldly. "The last thing I want is for you to get hurt."

"You're already hurting me just by making me sit here, while you mope around trying to find a solution." She replied harshly, and she regretted it almost immediately. "I am your wife, and I love you. But you have to give me some credit and let me help you."

"I can't lose you!" He growled at her this time, making the hair on her skin rise in fear. He breathed out as she nearly fell off the hammock due to her want to retreat. "I… I can't. Persephone, I have lived in this stomach long. I am the eldest male, you see – and the fourth one to be swallowed at that. My sisters had been in our father's stomach longer, but since I was a god; they assumed I was more knowledgeable despite the short time I've been in there. But I wasn't. I was just as helpless as them. They were my _sisters_ , and I failed to save them. And then Poseidon came, and the next thing I knew it was a hopeless case. We could never get out. And now, the fact that _you're_ here – in a place where it took forever to get out… you have to understand…"

Persephone swallowed as she bit back tears. "I understand."

"Good," Hades nodded. He had stopped crying perhaps hours ago, so now he looked like he just got out of bleaching his eyes with chlorine. The red in his eyes were fading, but that didn't seem to wipe out the red on his ledger. "Please stay where you are and don't try anything."

She did _understand._ But she still couldn't understand why she looked like she didn't have the right to help him. "Maybe I can help."

He shook his head. "Not today, my dove. Our powers are useless inside Kronos's stomach. Even if I manage to have my sword or any of my weapons with me, it still wouldn't work. Believe me, my siblings and I have tried."

She jumped out of the hammock, nearly slipping as she reached her husband. He looked at her with sad, sullen eyes that made her heart constrict. What cruel person, god or titan would send her poor beloved into a torture chamber like this? It was unimaginable what went through her husband's mind as he desperately sought out a way to help her. But she tried to stay strong – at least, perhaps, it would soothe his mind.

The spring goddess took her husband's hand before kissing his fingers delicately. He looked at her oddly, but softly as she continued her kisses – drawing him near her with a slight pull. They were pressed together now, her head on his strong chest and his chin on the crown of her head. In this position, she felt safe. Scared for their lives, but safe.

"Tell me, Hades." She whispered to him against the faint heartbeat that continued to resound around the room. "Is there anything… _anything_ at all that I can do to help you?"

His body stiffened and when she looked up to him, there was glint of hope in his eyes. "Perhaps… you can."

* * *

 _ **Zeus**_

Zeus could not tell the time. For the love of everything, he didn't know how long they'd been in their father's stomach – but it felt like they've consumed an entire morning or, well, afternoon. Again, he couldn't tell. He'd never been inside Kronos' stomach, and frankly he wasn't one to sit around, waiting for a miracle to happen. _He made miracles._ That's what he did when he saved his siblings from their treacherous father. But how could he save himself, especially his wife, now that he didn't have poisoned wine to disgorge themselves out of the place?

He tried to soothe his wife to sleep on the hammock, but she just couldn't stay still. She'd twist and turn, sobbing silently and loudly simultaneously. Sometimes, she stood up and charged at the walls – hoping at that last moment of contact she could break the walls – but to no avail. Other times, she just screeched louder than a fury. His wife had gone mad, and it was all because she was back where she had grown up – in the stomach of a monster.

"Please let me out of here…" Hera mumbled over and over as he held her in his arms, smoothing her hair and caressing her back. He hadn't been able to concentrate the whole hours since his wife would mumble and scream out of nowhere. It scared him, but it mostly just made him feel useless. "I don't want to stay. I want to see sunshine… light… anything but this horrible place. Zeus, please make it go away!"

Every please was like a poisoned arrow to his heart, knowing full well that he didn't know a way out. His wife took heavy breaths, trying to cease herself from the claustrophobic feeling – but the more she mumbled senselessly to herself, the heavier her breathing intensified and the harder it was for him to get a hold of her. He'd never seen her so disheveled in his immortal life.

"I will, Hera. I will," Zeus told her, hoping it would make a difference but he knew he was just fooling himself. "Just rest on the hammock, okay? I'll find a way out, I promise."

"I can't!" She yelled at him, almost angry. "Don't you see? Every time I close my eyes, I grow closer to hoping that I'm not here. And when I open them, all I see is this vastness. I would rather stay awake than to dream of something as hopeless as getting out of here. You don't understand. You will _never_ understand, Zeus. The time… the pain… the way we tried to find an exit… It was useless. We were hungry, tired and alone despite the company. We just wanted a miracle. And then you saved us…"

But that was the problem, you see. **He** was helpless and hungry too now. He was now seeing what it was like for his siblings, how they waited day and night (assuming they knew what that was considering how they never got proper tutor while being stuck in Kronos's stomach) for someone to save them. This time, it was far worst – especially for his wife; for _nobody_ could save her. If there was a person who could (which was him), then he didn't know himself. Just looking at his wife made him feel guilty. Hera was counting on him to save her, and he couldn't.

Then it hit him, almost like lightning. Although it was a futile shot, he knew better than to think selfishly at a time like this. His wife, his lovely Hera… she needed him – and she would get her out of here, even if it meant he had to stay.

"I think I know a way out, my love." He whispered to her in amazement, and when she looked up to meet her gaze – the message crossed between them. But his wife, despite his idea, was not pleased.

* * *

 _ **Amphitrite**_

It felt like days rather than hours since she and Poseidon last figured out that they were stuck in Kronos' – Poseidon's father – stomach. While her husband tried to find an exit despite his need to break down, he made her sit on the hammock and wait. _He was making her wait._ See, there's this impulse in Amphitrite that says she doesn't want to be bossed around. If anything, she was her own boss; and she only followed Poseidon's orders when necessary. But given the current situation they were in, she couldn't help but try to find a way out as well. After all, two is better than one.

So she rose from the hammock and started poking around the glistening walls, still disgusted by the appearance of everything around her. She could hardly imagine her husband living his entire young adult-hood in this forsaken stomach. She thought of how it must've been dreamily – him and his siblings playing around despite the depression around them. She imagined he'd be much more comfortable being stuck with his siblings than her. But before she could snap out of her reverie, her husband had already done it for her.

Poseidon held her wrist tightly and before she could complain, he told her roughly, "I told you to stay on the hammock, Amphi."

Amphitrite frowned at him. "And leave me looking like the damsel in distress? Honestly Poseidon, I am more than just a trophy wife, you know."

He looked surprised. "I never said you were."

She sniffed disdainfully. "Then you're definitely trying to make me look like one by letting me sit down and watch as you try to find a way out. I can be very useful, you know."

"Don't you understand, Amphitrite?" He bellowed at her and she tried to free her wrist from her husband, but his grip was firm. "There's _nothing_ you can do. If Hestia, Demeter, Hera and Hades couldn't find a way out the first time, what makes you think you'd know something, huh?"

"Don't talk to me like I'm some stupid nymph you'd knock up in a corner!" She felt offended now as she glared at him. "How dare you defy my intelligence, and at an excruciating time like this? How dare you—"

"Gods damn it, Amphitrite." He growled at her and before she could bark back at him, he was already lifting her up. She instinctively wrapped her legs around his hips in fear of falling off. She wanted to say something, just to get back at her husband. But she was rendered speechless when he carried her back to the hammock, gracefully laying her down like they hadn't been barking and biting at each other a few minutes ago.

This time, Poseidon's anger disappeared. He looked helpless now; tired, even, as he knelt before her – not daring to place himself on the hammock.

"Just let me help you." She told him softly as she shifted to the side so she was facing him. She reached out to caress his cheeks and great comfort spread through her system when his hand met hers. "I am your wife, Poseidon. I have pledged my life to you, body and soul. You think I would sit around knowing that my husband is trying to find a way out of this stomach while suffering from a traumatic and claustrophobic event? No. I'd help him. But he's as stubborn as an eel to let me."

At that final remark, she saw her husband chuckle and she couldn't help but giggle in response.

"Amphi…" He said her name like a prayer, and she felt him squeeze her hand. "We'll get out of here."

"Together, Poseidon." She told him as she scooted closer to kiss his cheek. "In fact… I think I might know just what we… _you_ should need to escape this place."

Amphitrite explained to him her plan, but he was certainly not pleased to hear it.

* * *

 _ **Persephone**_

"Are you mad?!" Persephone screeched at her husband as he tried to take the bottle away from her, but to no avail. Despite his build, she was a lot faster than him since she practiced foot-racing as a childhood hobby. Hades… well, not so much – considering how he couldn't run around in a stomach during his younger days.

"Persephone, just drink the damn pill!" Hades yelled at her, maneuvering himself slowly along the bumps on the floor. Surely he'd gotten used to it growing up, but he didn't practice running around it like some expert stomach skater.

"No! I refuse to drink it!" She yelled back from across the room. How she got there so quickly, she had no idea herself. The spring goddess kept the _APS (Aphrodite Survival Pill)_ in her bosom, hoping it would prevent Hades from taking it from her. But given that they were married, she just realized that that wouldn't stop him from taking the bottle away from her. "I am not drinking this, okay? _You are._ I would rather **die** in here than to be with the knowledge that you never got out of this hell hole!"

"Don't you say that, 'Seph." He remarked dangerously as he tried to skitter towards her, but he fell on his bum faster than he could say _Styx._ "You have to understand that you can never live through this. My siblings and I hardly survived. What more of you?"

"I'll be fine!" She exasperated as she tried to fix the bottle in bosom, but just as she looked up – Hades was already an inch from her. "How did you—"

Before she could react any further, Hades dug through her bosom and grabbed the bottle – nearly emitting a shriek from Persephone if it hadn't been for the fact that he had already taken the material from her.

Hades trapped her against the wall, her back pressing against the repulsive glands of the stomach. He was so close that she could smell that dark, luscious perfume he always had on – if only to prevent the smell of the dead on him. So close, and yet, before she could complain – his lips were on hers.

Persephone tried to push him away, but gave up as soon as he deepened the kiss. Their togetherness lasted for what felt like hours, but when her husband finally pulled away; she pulled him right back to her for another kiss.

After the second kiss, she pushed against him – breaking their kiss. They stared at each other longingly, one that they haven't done in ages. Had it truly been that long since they last kissed? How could she have denied herself the pleasure of kissing her husband all these years?

"Drink the pill, my dove." Hades whispered against her skin once he had leaned forward, resting his head on her chest. "It might not save me, but it will save you."

"No…" Persephone shook her head. "There has to be another way out. I can't just leave you here."

"I have lived longer in this place, 'Seph. I can handle it." He reassured her, and just as he continued to speak, the spring goddess carefully took the bottle from his hand. He looked up to her and she shivered, scared that he might find out she'd taken it from him. "Please. You have the bottle. I'll find a way out. I will always find you."

She raised the bottle and uncapped it with a small _pop._ Inside the bottle was a little coated press pill colored in light pink. She tapped the single little pill out of the too-big bottle and placed it on her palm. With one look at her husband, she smiled at him.

As he opened his mouth to say something, she slapped her palm with the pill against his slightly opened mouth. Hades recoiled, and she feared that the little thing probably bounced out before he could drink it. But just as he was gaining his anger to scold her, a loud creak resounded throughout the room – muting the faint heartbeat that played all over the place.

Persephone turned to her left to find a hole in the stomach room. _Literally._ Although it was a square hole, like a little door had opened up – and beyond that was a very familiar room. This caused the goddess's blood to boil, but it was no worse than her husband's. He looked like he was ready to release the forces of the dead right then and there.

She neared her husband, and when he looked down at her – the anger melted off his face almost immediately. As she took her husband's hand and dragged him towards the exit, she heard him say, "You manipulative little minx."

At that point, she didn't know if it was a compliment. But as she helped her tired husband across the stomach room and out, she smiled at him as she said, "I told you I'm not all innocence."

* * *

 _ **Zeus**_

"This pill will only be used for **emergency**!" Hera explained to him in the most graceful way possible. She was, indeed, graceful – if it hadn't been for that scowl on her face. " _This_ is not an emergency, Zeus. This isn't life or death."

"Are you out of your Olympian mind, Hera?!" Zeus spat as he tried to take the bottle of ASP from his wife, failing miserably when she easily docked his attempts. Curse her and her used to moving around in their father's stomach. "This _is_ life or death. And by Tartarus, I _will_ have you drink that pill, Hera!"

"Oh yeah? And if I drink this pill and save myself – what would happen to you?" She slowed down this time. A few hours ago she'd been so weak she could hardly move. Now, it looked like she consumed all the coffee in the world as she moved around the stomach room with such ease. "I can't leave you in here, Zeus. You might be a terrible husband, but I am _not_ leaving without you."

When Zeus finally caught up to her, he had her backed up against an edge of the room where two walls meet. She looked at him fleetingly, hiding the bottle behind her back as if it would keep him from taking it away from her with a whisk of his hand. He trapped her at the edge, leaning forward as their faces drew just a kiss away from each other.

"You take that pill right now, Hera. It's the only way for you to get out of here. I don't want you suffering another second in this place. Do you understand?" He asked her softly this time, and when his wife shook his head, he sighed in frustration.

"Save yourself." She told him as she drew out the bottle from behind and handed it to her husband. Just like that? "I've been here longer, so I'm sure I can survive. You… you haven't and the best solution is for _you_ to drink the pill and once you get out, you can find a way to save me."

"I'm not leaving without you." He shook his head hopelessly.

"And _I'm_ not leaving without _you_." She returned stubbornly. "Please, Zeus. If you love me… you have to drink the pill."

"I can't attest to that. I love you, Hera…"

"Then _drink the damn pill_ , Zeus."

But in the blink of an eye, he had grabbed her waist as he tried to haul her up. However, due to the slippery liquid of the goo on the floor; he slipped and made themselves tumble against the repulsive goo together. His wife was under him to, unfortunately, break his fall.

"Zeus…" She whispered his name, and just the sound of it coming from her sent remarkable chills down his spine.

"You want me to take the pill?" He asked her, and she nodded so quickly he feared her head might split off.

He sighed dejectedly, popping the lid of the bottle off with a pop as he made no move to get off his wife. He turned the bottle over, causing a pink coated press pill to land on his palm. It was as small as a mole. Well, as far as moles are small.

Zeus looked at her again, as if to ask for permission; and when she nodded, he placed the pill on his tongue. Just as Hera was about to comment about something, he pressed his lips against hers – causing his wife to stir underneath him.

Kissing his wife was euphoria as she relaxed under him, wrapping her arms around him like she'd been fitting herself like a little puzzle. It had been _so long_ since they last shared such a kiss. They had stopped kissing or making any form of contact with each other the minute Hera found out that he had a Roman son with Beryl. It made him desperate, knowing how he would never feel her lips again – but now he was satisfied. They were tender, the softest he's ever devoured; and just as he asked access, he slipped his tongue into hers as they fought for dominance.

When Hera realized what he was doing, she started to thrash under him – but too little too late, he had slipped the pill into her mouth; in a very delightful matter, he might add. Just as he had pulled away, nearly breathless – his wife smacked him in the face.

"Ow!" He rubbed his cheek, feeling the burn of her palm.

"You womanizing asshole!" She shrieked at him. "What have you done?! I—"

But before Hera could finish her sentence, the sound of a door opening reverberated throughout the room. He moved away from his wife, standing up as he helped her. From across the stomach room, a wooden door lay open towards a familiar-looking office. Where that thing came from, he had no idea – but this was Hera's chance.

His blood boiled at that and from where he stood, he could see a number of emotions race through Hera's face. There was anger, fear, relief – but mostly, a deadly combination of anger and relief. His wife was back.

"Go ahead, Hera." He nodded towards the open door.

She turned to him, eyes now clouded with fear as she took a step forward to be inches near him. "Come with me. Maybe it will work on both of us."

Before he could reject her crazy theory, she was pulling him towards the door. It didn't look like it had a barrier or anything. But as his wife motioned for her to join him despite her wearied body, he couldn't help himself. He lifted her off her feet, and she yelped as he held her bridal-style in his arms.

"Show-off," Hera muttered to him disdainfully, but he could see the blush tinting her lovely cheeks. "You and your dramatics, Zeus."

"My dramatics are only for the best." Zeus chuckled as he walked them out of the room. "And you _are_ the best."

* * *

 _ **Amphitrite**_

It was a stupid idea. The stupidest idea her husband had probably come up with. Okay, maybe _not-so_ stupid since he was smart enough to think it. But what was stupid about it was the fact that only one of them could drink the _Aphrodite Survival Pill_ , and he wanted _her_ to drink it.

"There's a certain level of stupidity, Poseidon. There's a newly-born ghost from the River Lethe and then there's _you_." Amphitrite spat at him as she held onto the bottle for dear life. "Aphrodite said only **one** of us can drink this and much to my frank dismay, it **has** to be you."

"Amphitrite, you're being extremely difficult right now." Poseidon sighed in frustration as he sat on the hammock, his head in his hands. Thank the heavens they weren't running around, chasing each other like a bunch of lunatics over some stupid pill. But the stress of having to convince each other that the other should drink the pill was really taking its toll on both of them. "The last thing I want for you is to suffer in this eternal damnation I call my "childhood". You need to drink the pill. It's the only thing that can save you."

"And what about you, huh?!" She asked him angrily, although her voice wavered as she fiddled with the bottle. "You think I don't want you to be saved as well? Let's leave it at this, Poseidon. Either you drink the pill or neither of us do."

"That's not fair." He said coldly. "That would mean neither of us will survive."

"Exactly!" She raised her hands in exasperation. "So you _have_ to drink the pill, otherwise none of us are going to. Look… I want you to get out of here. And when you do, you can save me – just like what Zeus did. Maybe you can make Kronos… or this room… disgorge me."

"You're mad if you think I'm leaving you here, Amphitrite." He scowled at her as stood up from the hammock. His fear of the stomach room had disappeared, although he still showed signs of sweating and the sudden need to cradle himself – it wasn't as bad as the first few hours, enduring and seeing the pain he'd gone through in the past. "You are my wife, and my priority is to choose you above everything – including myself. I vowed to protect you, even if it means the very fabric of losing my immortality, and while this doesn't look that terrible – it still counts. Amphi, please just… just drink the pill for me."

She was surprised to hear him talk that way. He'd never been one to express his emotions out of the blue – that was her job. But she was glad to hear him talk that way – in a manner that made her heart constrict in both pain and joy. Blast that stupid Aphrodite. How could that crazy bitch be so cruel as to give them one pill for single consumption? Unless…

"Maybe we can split the pill in half," She reasoned in a small voice as she drew herself closer to Poseidon.

He shook his head as he caressed her soft, alabaster cheeks with his hands. "Aphrodite said it can only be taken by one of us. Splitting the pill in half would cheat the consumption of the pill, and neither of us will get out of here. It has to be you, Amphi. I insist upon it."

"You saved me far too many times, Poseidon." She leaned against his hands' touch, savoring the way they smelled like the sea and how they graced her cheeks like the waves against the shores. It was comforting; like she was home. "This time, I need you to let me save you. I don't want you seeing any of this, even in your worst nightmares. This place is far too traumatic and if you stay any longer, you'd go mad. Please."

She pushed the bottle of pill towards her husband. He looked at her solemnly, almost feeling guilty for even considering her words. He opened his mouth to say something, refusing to take the bottle from her, but she raised her hand to stop him.

"It's okay to be selfish, as long as you know that you'll be returning the favor of that selfishness justly." She said, and for the first time since they've been trapped in this room, she smiled at him. He pushed the bottle back to her silently which made the sea goddess grin. Should they play a game of stubbornness, neither of them would lose. They'd both win without even blinking an eye.

"I'm not being selfish." He told her although she had a feeling he was trying hard not to lie. "I'm simply following what my wife wants. If you think this is best for us…"

"Best for you," She corrected as she popped the bottle open. Inside was a press pill coated in pink. Why Aphrodite chose such a huge bottle for something so little, Amphitrite had no idea. But she tapped the pill out anyway as it rolled into her palm. "And eventually… it'll be best for me."

"Amphitrite…" He whispered, as if hoping that would make her change her mind.

But the sea goddess shook her head and presented the pill to him. "Take this willingly. And swear by the Styx…"

"Amphi—"

"Swear by the Styx that you will consume it, and when you're released – you will come back to save me."

"Wait, hold on just a second—"

"Swear by the Styx." Amphitrite pressed loudly this time. "And on your thread of life. Swear to both."

Poseidon looked like he didn't approve of the idea, but if this keeps on – none of them would be saved from the internal torture of staying inside Kronos' stomach. When her husband raised his hand, she expected him to take the pill. Instead, he held her nape softly before crashing his lips onto her – emitting a small yelp from her during the sudden kiss.

Amphitrite fisted her hand with the pill in the hopes that it would not fall off, and as she did – he drew her closer to him. He deepened the kiss and in the time that she needed solace, she reciprocated by kissing him back. It was bliss – pure, utter bliss. But it died a little to earlier than she wanted, and when he pulled away; she pouted her lips.

Her husband chuckled at her. "You'll get more once you start letting me drink that pill."

At that statement, she plopped the little pill into his open mouth. Just as he she heard him swallow, a loud creak nearly made her jump and slip on the gooey glands of the stomach floor. Poseidon had a firm grip on her, so thank the gods she didn't have to go through that. They both searched the room, and when they found an open area that lead to a particular room – they both sighed in relief.

"There's your exit." Amphitrite told him as she pushed him away; almost pained at the thought of him leaving her in this wretched place. "I can't come through since I didn't consume the pill."

Poseidon looked at the open area longingly, like he was debating which one was safer: to stay in his father's stomach or to venture back into the real world without her. Much to Amphitrite's delight, he chose the real world – but he tugged at her hand, as if inviting her to join him.

"I-I can't." Her voice was weak as she said this. _Leave me._

"Maybe it'll work on both of us." He assumed, but she knew the idea was fatal. "We are married after all. Two halves mend into one. Please try, my little seashell."

Amphitrite was afraid to try, but his longing look convinced her to go with him. As she helped her husband limp towards the open area, she wondered whether or not this was some cruel joke played by the Fates or if Aphrodite had anything to do with it. The thought only increased her confidence to leave the place with her husband – and she swore, she was going to kill whoever did this to her, especially to Poseidon.

* * *

 _ **Aphrodite**_

The goddess of love was starting to worry. It was already four in the afternoon and it had been eight hours since she last sent the couples to the simulation room. The plan was full-proof, you see. It would test the couple's strength in staying together and trying not to kill each other at a very reasonable time. It resembled that book called "Hunger Games" where they trapped the kids into killing each other – but hers was far more subtle. Well, as subtle as sending them in a Titan's stomach that is. She felt pretty proud of herself for it; but she was also afraid she might end up being punished for such an act, even if it _does_ help shape the couples she was counseling.

Three wooden doors stood at the back of her office where she had been expecting them to appear all day.

The first couple to emerge at 4:25PM, much to her sheer and utter surprise, was Zeus and Hera. Zeus came bounding into her office, carrying Hera bridal-style with the simulator-stomach fading almost immediately behind them.

"You!" Zeus exclaimed, but not as loud as she expected. It might have been because he was trying not to wake Hera up. "Do you think this is funny? Sending Hera into that place was a fate more cruel than Tartarus, Aphrodite. She nearly lost her mind in there. I almost lost her. Do you have any idea what I would have done if she suddenly stopped thinking straight?!"

Aphrodite tried to apologize, but just as she was about speak; another door opened. The love goddess turned to find Hades and Persephone entering the room. Hades looked as pale as snow as Persephone lumbered in an effort to carry her husband's weight. When the spring goddess saw her, the look of worry shredded faster than she could say _Styx._

"Oh, this is all your fault!" Persephone yelled without much regard for the volume of her voice. "You're insane, Aphrodite. **Insane**. This is way too mental. I swear, I will have you turned into a Dandelion in a matter of sec—"

"Lady Persephone, kindly waver your husband to the sofa." Aphrodite regarded her calmly, as if she hadn't psychologically drew the life force out of the first generation gods all day. "A cup of tea and some ambrosia would surely help Lord Hades return to his normal state."

"I'm not eating anything from you after that last thing you pulled up!" Persephone growled at her, but she laid Hades onto one of the loveseats and despite her recent remark, took a chunk of ambrosia to feed herself and her husband.

Finally, after a brief five minutes trying to avoid questions from Zeus and Persephone emerged Poseidon and Amphitrite from the door in the middle. It was strange, considering how Aphrodite's estimated order would be Hades and Persephone first, then Poseidon and Amphitrite and lastly, Zeus and Hera. Perhaps her little simulator had done more than just reinforce their strength as a couple after all. But she was not pleased to find out that the last couple came in later than the others.

Just as Amphitrite was moving forth, she saw the love goddess and nearly let go of Poseidon's weak body. The sea goddess pointed an accusing finger at her as she screeched, "You crazy bitch! How dare you send me and my husband to that wretched, unhygienic place?! Your methods are crazy mental and if I hadn't sworn on the Styx via contract to submit to your shitty attempts at marriage counseling, I would be strangling you to bits and pieces. You hear me?! Bits and fu—"

"Amphitrite, enough." Poseidon scolded her weakly, and the sea goddess's expression softened as she led her husband towards the last empty loveseat.

The three doors from where the couples emerged disappeared with a slight _pop_. When she turned to look at the couples; Zeus, Amphitrite and Persephone were glaring at her dangerously. Zeus looked angrier, causing thunder and lightning to clash violently outside.

"Explain yourself, Aphrodite." Zeus regarded her menacingly even as he had Hera's head on his lap, caressing her forehead soothingly. "You better have a very good explanation, otherwise I'd have to ban you from doing certain habits of yours and don't think I'll stop there. I might even have you sent to some jail in the Underworld for you to learn your lesson."

"Jail her in the Underworld!" Persephone agreed immediately at her father's remark. "In fact, I think Cerberus would enjoy some godly meat."

"No. Have her fed to one of my father's sea serpents!" Amphitrite joined, glaring at the love goddess violently. "Better yet, rebuke her license as the goddess of "love"."

"As much as it's more just, I can't go against Ancient Law." Zeus groaned tiredly before taking a sip from his cup of tea. "Speak your mind now, Aphrodite; before I start frying you into a shish-kebab using the master bolt."

"It's part of the method!" Aphrodite exasperated, hoping her nerves weren't showing. Holy Hera, she _had_ gone that far. She had no idea it would affect the couples so drastically. "As you know, there are daily tasks and there are _trials_. You've just accomplished your first trial, which I applaud you for. But there will be more to come – and this, I'm afraid, is only the beginning."

"Do you intend to drive us mad or to renew our romance? Because I'm thinking you're doing the initial." Amphitrite's voice was laced with anger, but she didn't even look at the love goddess. Instead, she harnessed her focus into wiping the beads of sweat off of Poseidon's forehead.

Persephone sniffed disdainfully. "What did you hope to get out of this first trial, Aphrodite? Surely there's more than into driving our spouses into madness like that Castellan woman Hermes fancied."

"It was to test your strength as a couple." Aphrodite continued, though she nearly tripped when she was trying to hide behind her lacquer desk. "Most couples often argue in the most disastrous of times. Sometimes, it gets tiring. I have done the same trial to all of the couples I've counseled and usually – it was never enough. You are lucky and remarkably faster, since most of them took three days to figure out how to escape. They merely thought my pill was just some sick love potion when truly, it could have helped them all that time. My point is – in this event, you've found the need to put your trust on your spouse. With the pill, I'm sure you had to make an awful decision on who had to drink it – considering how it can only be consumed by one. But by trusting your spouse to come after you once they've escaped, you have increased a trust far more bonding than the Fates put together."

"I suppose it did help…" Persephone trailed off as she looked at Hades worriedly. "By the gods, I had to slap the pill into him… literally, but only under the knowledge that I know he'd come back."

"It seems none of those who took the pill had been willing," Aphrodite eyed each couple in the room and when her eyes landed on the sea goddess, a lovely smile graced her lips. "Except Poseidon."

"Poseidon?" Zeus asked, as if it was a joke.

"It's true." Amphitrite attested as she caressed her husband's hand. "It took some time to persuade him, which should explain why we came in last. But he… for once, he listened."

" _That's_ what I've been talking about." Aphrodite smiled triumphantly as she sat on her pink-leathered seat. "I hope this has become a valuable lesson to all of you. I won't be assigning a daily task for tomorrow because I think our victims deserve a rest. Come back to me on Tuesday. This is only the beginning, my dears. There will be more to come, and I shall apologize in advance for them. You know that I'm only doing it for your own good."

"So no eternal jail punishment?" Persephone asked her father just as the lord of the skies was starting to carry Hera again bridal-style.

"She's done us a favor far greater than anything, dear." Zeus regarded his daughter with a curt nod. "Even if she _is_ , in fact, a crazy love psycho as you young ones so lightly put it these days."

Before Persephone could say more, Zeus had disappeared with Hera in a whiff of blue and yellow air – the office filling up with the smell of ozone.

"Poseidon wasn't kidding about the dramatics." Amphitrite commented as she, too, disappeared with Poseidon as a wave of water dispersed them, leaving a wet trail on the love seat.

"You can't pull up that kind of shit again, Aphrodite." Persephone glared at her as she started to rise from her seat. "Poor Hades…"

"If this is about you and Hades not doing the daily task and me taking your _Adonis_ collection, Persephone..."

"You're a fool, you know? I don't care if you took our prized possessions away because we failed to spoon-feed each other. I am moreover concerned about the fact that your simulator nearly killed the life out of my husband."

"I cannot promise anything. But what I can promise you is a guarantee that your marriage will improve ten-fold." Aphrodite smiled at the spring goddess sadly.

"Perhaps before you try such methods on gods and creatures alike, make sure to try it on yourself first." Persephone spat coldly. "How would you feel if you were trapped in a place Hephaestus was traumatized over?"

Aphrodite never thought of it that way, so she frowned at her. "That does not apply to me."

"You are married, are you not?" Persephone raised a sarcastic brow at her. "I highly doubt that does not apply to the love goddess herself. Before you start throwing these trials at us like we're a bunch of guinea pigs, at least have the decency to improve your own marriage."

Oh, Aphrodite was furious now – but just before she could impose a love curse on the spring goddess – she and Hades had disappeared in a blink of an eye. She huffed angrily to herself as she rose from her leather chair and started to walk up to her full-body mirror. Her lipstick was astray and as she tried to fix it, her anger softened, hating the scowl on her beautiful face.

"I am not a hypocrite." Aphrodite sighed to herself as she began to fix the threads of some of her out-of-place makeup. "I don't need my husband."

But somehow, even as she said it, she felt her gut tighten in guiltily.

* * *

 **AN:** I really do hope you enjoyed reading this chapter. This was really tiring, but extremely satisfying to write. I love these couples to bit and I hope I'm doing their characters justice. I also really want to start working on Aphrodite and Hephaestus's story, as I have revealed in an earlier chapter that I would include them in the story soon - but that would have to be for a while since I'm harnessing my focus on the tri-couples. **Please leave a comment/review on what you think of this chapter, and which couple was your favorite during the first trial.** Stay tuned! -EMPG22HoPe

To answer a few questions;

 **1.) What exactly happened to Hera during her time as Porphyrion's prisoner?**

Answer: I've created a little headcanon for it in my head, but it won't be revealed till' future chapters. This also applies to those who were wondering why Hera was eating less after she was released from Porphyrion's mountain.

 **2.) What did Poseidon do to his wife [via Chapter 7 quote _"_** ** _It's because he loved Amphitrite, and he had hurt her already once – terribly. From that awful memory forth, he pledged never to do it again."_ ]?**

Answer: Again, this feature will appear in future chapters. I always make note of the little paragraphs I make and all the new headcanons I put up with the characters. So if you somehow read something that you want to know more about, assume immediately that I will explain it in the recurring chapters.

 **PS.** I will no longer be leaving "previews" at the end of every chapter. I thought that really releases the suspense of the next chapter and that's the last thing I want to do.

 **This fanfiction may also be found on Wattpad via my username _MDSummers._**


	9. Chapter 9: In A Different Light (H-A)

**The Aphrodite Method**

 **AN:** Oh gods. Thank you _so much_ for the feedback on the last chapter. I see everyone enjoyed reading that chapter. Personally, I enjoyed reading and writing it too. That is, by far, my favorite chapter in the whole story. But don't think that's the last of it because there _will_ be more trials for the couples (five trials, to be exact) between daily task intervals. So here's the ninth chapter, and I hope you'll enjoy it!

* * *

 **Chapter Nine  
** _ **Aphrodite**_

Aphrodite forced herself to enter the fiery premises. It had been a while since she entered the forges, mainly because if she wanted to run an errand that required entering her husband's forges – she'd let Eros or Iris do it. But it was already one in the morning and neither gods were awake. She'd let Ares do it but the man had gone to Germany to screw another woman, which apparently wasn't new. Much to her dismay, she'd have to do this task on her own.

Heat immediately met her once she opened the door to the forges. The sound of metals clinking and clanking resounded throughout the vast room as she made her way into it. There were only two beings inside the place, and that happened to be a Cyclopes which she assumed was her husband's assistant and Hephaestus. He looked like he'd been working on a shield, although for who, she couldn't tell.

He must have sensed her presence, or caught a whiff of her lavender perfume because the minute he turned to find the source only to see her; he frowned. She kept a good ten-inch distance from him, just to save herself from whatever contraption he was creating that would singe her beautiful skin.

"What are you doing here, Aphrodite?" Hephaestus asked her calmly despite the frown on his face.

She studied his features as she always did when she came face to face with him. He was certainly unattractive, with that horrible upturned nose that looked like it'd been jammed up way too high and his eyes that blazed so horribly that it often scared the wits out of her. Given, he was more in shape than Ares – but it was that metal chink on his leg, the one that limped around that made her frown so bad it stretched wrinkles into her forehead. She looked away from his face faster than she started examining it. She _just_ couldn't stare too long.

"I came to have these rings upgraded." Aphrodite answered straightly as she took out three pink and three blue rings from her jean's pockets.

He arched a brow at her. At least his eyebrows were on point. "Upgraded? You never have these things upgraded. You usually want them fixed."

"Well, for this particular situation – I have to." She shrugged before finally nearing him. She still kept a good distance, and she did her best not touch him as she handed him the rings. "I got it from them once they fell asleep. Do you think you can fix in the upgrade before they all wake up?"

He scrunched up his nose, the way he always did when he was thinking. Don't ask why she observed that – she just knew. Finally, he placed the six rings on his work table before asking her, "What kind of upgrade are we talking about here?"

She told him. He frowned every once in a while, telling her that it might not be as easy as it sounded. Of course, Aphrodite wasn't going to take no for an answer.

"Why do you find it so necessary to have them upgraded in less than five hours or less, depending on how they wake up? I'm sure they won't even realize their rings had gone missing. In fact, I think they'd rather be glad that the rings are gone." Hephaestus reasoned with her as he began to take apart the rings – which separated into three little blocks each upon being touched by its creator.

"That would be risking my methods. What if Zeus decided he wanted to screw a tree nymph since there's no blue ring to stop him? It would be drastic not just for me, but for Hera." Aphrodite explained as she shifted uncomfortably on her feet. She was starting to sweat from all the heat that the forges were emitting, and she did **not** like to sweat. "I'm sure you can do something with it."

"You always assume, don't you?" He asked gruffly as he tapped at the little blocks of each ring briefly before sighing. "Fine. It'll be done. But you told me it won't be used till' three days from now, right? I'll do what I can with it, but the process won't be complete. You need to return these rings to me at the same time you did today on the recurring days before the deadline so I can finish them properly. Otherwise, they won't work and they'll probably explode due to malfunction."

"We wouldn't want that now, would we?" She shook her head at the thought. She has to come back here tomorrow and the next day… and the next day? Oh, for heaven's sake – she _really_ needs to get a cherub that would be awake at this hour so she wouldn't have to endure coming back here again and again. "You have a deal."

He looked surprised at first, but he nodded to get rid of it before he began working on the rings.

Aphrodite stayed put and she watched in amazement as he screwed nails and things into the rings. She hadn't realized that she'd been standing there for so long, watching her husband work on the rings until he looked at her with that signature frown he had. He really needs to work on his other facial expressions.

"What are you doing?" He asked her and it sounded harsh – to her, at least, since she was irritated by the heat of the forges.

"Watching you work." She said simply, as if it was normal for her to just stand there and watch him work on things she hardly knew about. "Does that bother you?"

"No." He admitted as he worked his large hands on the tiny rings. She realized, upon watching him, that he handled the material so delicately despite the roughness in the way he worked on his other creations. "What bothers me is that you're still here, despite the heat."

"Well," She mumbled nervously as she patted her handkerchief against her forehead briefly. "I have to take them back, don't I? So I might as well wait for you to finish."

"You know I can take them back myself."

"Oh, nonsense. You'd wake them up in a heartbeat with the noise of your metal foot."

As soon as she mentioned the metal foot, she immediately regretted it. Her husband looked like he was ready to dip her in one of those lava pits that shaped swords and other metal-work. She always made it a point to think of Hephaestus's negatives in her head, only because she refused to sound like a terrible person. In which case, she _was_ just thinking about it. But to be able to say it out loud, she just couldn't do merely because she only ever does so whenever they were fighting.

"I'm sorry." She apologized in a small voice as she suddenly took interest on her red flats. "I didn't… I didn't mean to—"

"It's fine." He murmured softly, his frown disappearing as he went back to work on the rings.

She swallowed, feeling exceptionally guilty. What was wrong with her? She **never** felt guilty around him. _Never._ And yet, in that small, menial event – it felt like she had thrown an entire mountain on top of him. Her conflicted emotions was tearing her apart, and before she could decide to just wait outside until he was finished with the rings; she said something stupid.

"I really am sorry." She blurted out, squeaking one octave too-high due to her nervous state.

He looked at her this time, ignoring the rings for a moment as he faced her. As she looked up to meet his gaze, she saw surprise and wonder etch his features – but there was still that roughness, that particular coldness that he graced whenever she was around. She couldn't blame him, really – but it wouldn't hurt to look at her like she was a goddess and not a harlot.

"Stop that." She said firmly this time.

"Stop what?" He asked her roughly.

"Stop looking at me like I've just finished screwing a model at the back of a truck!" She exclaimed this time, bothered by the way he eyed her. "Could you at least look at me the way you do with the other goddesses? With a hint of dignity and respect?"

"I didn't realize I had a certain way of looking at you." He shrugged, as if her outburst didn't surprise him which just made her mad. "I apologize if I find it so hard to see my wife without frowning, thinking of the times she called me names behind my back."

Now she was flabbergasted. "I-I never call you names behind your back."

"Really?" He laughed humorlessly as he crossed his arms on his chest. "Hunchback of Notre Olympus? Metal head? Limp boy? Don't those names ring a bell?"

"That's not me!" She yelled at him this time, and for once – her argument was true. "That was Ares. I just… I just join in the laughter."

"You do realize that's the same thing as calling me names?" He asked her with an arch of a brow. "Imagine what other things you called me. Of course I try to ignore them—"

"I don't call you names, okay?!" She stomped her foot this time as she glared at her husband. "I'm not as heartless as you think I am!"

"I find that hard to believe." He spat at her. The words felt like he had sheathed daggers into her heart. What is this? Was she… was she pained by the way he spoke to her? Wasn't it supposed to be the other way around? Why did it feel like she'd just lost her… her purpose? "Go wait outside, Aphrodite. I'll call you when the rings are finished."

"No!" She growled this time, which caused her husband's features to shift into complete surprise.

"What are you—"

"I will not be treated with so little respect, Hephaestus!"

"You expect people to respect you, me – of all people – after everything you did to me? Do you really expect me to look at you differently when all you've ever done is look at me like I'm a monster? Tell me, Aphrodite, why I should even give you _an iota_ of respect if you can't even produce the same to me?"

Now she was fuming, either from embarrassment due to the truth in his words or due to her anger – she couldn't tell. But she had a feeling it was the initial; for it was her fatal flaw as the goddess of love. She just didn't know how to accept the ugly truth from people, especially their take that despite her beauty, she had an ugly heart.

"Forget it!" Aphrodite replied instead as she trudged up to his work table and began fishing the taken-apart rings. "I'll just find another mechanic to—"

"Aphrodite, don't!"

But Hephaestus's warning came too late. As soon as the taken-apart rings landed on her palm, the little bits of the ring started to bite her skin. A loud cry emitted from the love goddess, nearly scaring the wits out of the one Cyclops that worked in the corner. The Cyclops looked just about ready to help her, but he paused when his boss raised a hand to stop him.

"Gods damn it!" She cursed as she tried to wriggle the rings off her palms, but they stuck to her hand – biting mercilessly.

"Don't move your hand!" He tried to get a hold of her victimized hand, but she swatted him away.

"Get these things off of me!" Tears were streaming down her cheeks now as all six rings did their torture on her palm – biting into her skin as if they were trying to peel it off. "Please get it off me, Heph. Please!"

"I will. Just stop moving your hand!" He said roughly as he finally got a hold of her wrist. She whimpered aimlessly as he led her to a door, but she knew full well that it wasn't the exit of the forges. As she was brought into what looked like a small, cramped-up bedroom – she stopped moving her hand. The rings were still biting into her skin, but it wasn't as painful as it was the time she was trying to get them off.

Hephaestus made her sit on the bed next to a bookshelf full of scrolls and other nuts and bolts. She realized, to her relief, that this room was air-conditioned. Although how her husband had a small room with an air-conditioner in the back of the forges, she had no idea.

As she sat on the large, fluffy bed – Hephaestus began rummaging through one of those treasure boxes pirates fancied in the old days. Her tears haven't stopped because the rings were still biting her, but she stopped her whimpering for the sake of not looking so weak in front of her husband.

After a few minutes of futile search, he brought out some bandages, a canteen of nectar and a clean white cloth. He placed them beside her on the bed and knelt before her as he carefully took her hand. She gasped as the bites tightened, and from the dim light of the lampshade, she could see golden ichor dripping down her palm.

"Relax, and try not to scream bloody hell while you're at it." He sounded affectionate as he tried to wring the rings off her palm. Each time he got rid of a small bit of the ring, she yelped and grimaced. Other times, she found her uninjured hand searching for his for comfort – which wasn't so bad, although she would regret it later on. When he took off the last bit, she dug her nails against his hand so hard that _he_ yelped.

"Sorry," She murmured to him, but he didn't show any acknowledgement that he heard. He started to pour nectar on the injured areas, causing a string of Ancient Greek curses to escape her lips. Hell, she cursed so much during the procedure that Hermes and Hera cursing together couldn't match her. But in the midst of her cursing, he tried to soothe the pain by whispering encouraging words. He'd shush her and tell her it was going to be okay, and that it won't hurt after the whole thing's over – just what someone would verbally do to help ease the pain. In fairness, she found his soothing words rather sweet.

Her tears dried once he smoothed the white cloth on her palm, damping off some of the excess nectar. She watched, with great interest, as he finished the procedure off by wrapping the bandage around her palm. Her whimpers and cries died down, and when she flexed her injured hand, it didn't hurt as bad as the first time.

"That should help ease the pain. I think Apollo has an ointment that you need to apply daily so that the bite marks would fade, so you can just ask him." He told her and she felt someone tugging on her uninjured hand.

Aphrodite realized that she was still holding onto his other hand for dear life. She released her hand immediately, blushing furiously once she saw her husband blush as well.

Hephaestus cleared his throat and rose to return the equipment he brought out. As he was placing the materials back into the treasure box, Aphrodite couldn't help but speak through the silence.

"Thank you, Heph." Aphrodite swallowed nervously as she said this, staring vacantly at her bandaged hand.

Hephaestus grumbled, and she hoped that meant like an _It's okay_ or _You're welcome_ – but she could never tell when it came to her husband.

"I guess you should stay at the lake while I work on these little rascals." He suggested as he began to fish the small bits of the rings. She cringed in fear that the rings would bite him too, but they didn't.

"No, I…" She protested in a small voice. "I want to watch you work."

"Seriously, after what just happened back there?" She could tell that he was trying not to laugh at her, but she nodded and looked at him to show her approval.

"What's so wrong about watching my husband work?" Now he didn't look like he wanted to laugh.

Hephaestus stared at her, dumbfounded. Probably because she called him her _husband_ and not just "someone I was unfortunate enough to marry". In fact, she was quite surprised herself. But in the midst of the rings biting her, and his soft, affectionate way of tending to her wounds – Persephone's words a few days ago somehow hit her like a big yellow school bus.

" _At least have the decency to improve your own marriage_."

"I mean… if you'll have me." Aphrodite cut through the silence in a small voice as she stared at him, waiting for him to deny her or tell her to just go to the damn lake and wait for him there. But instead, he offered his hand for her to take. And when she did, he led her out of the cold room and back into the forges, where she spent the entire early morning watching him tinker away. And for once, they didn't try to kill the life out of each other.

They looked at each other and talked together just like any regular, young and clueless couple.

* * *

 _ **Poseidon**_

The sea god could have sworn someone was touching his finger somewhere around twelve to one in the early morning. He experienced the same thing at a later hour, around 7AM or so. But whatever it was, it was surely just his wife or his imagination – either way, he didn't give it any more thought after waking up.

When he shifted to turn on the other side of the bed, he saw his wife and couldn't help but smile. Amphitrite was curled up in a fetal position facing him. She looked peaceful and solemn in her sleep – her blonde hair a beautiful halo around her lovely face. Last night was a mere surprise for both of them, and perhaps Aphrodite's Survival Pill was to thank for it. They made love last night – one that they haven't done in years he can't even remember how long. Just the memory of it made the hair on his skin rise. At the sight of her; he couldn't help but pull her body flush against him.

Amphitrite woke up the second he planted a kiss on her forehead. She looked up to him with hazy, sea-blue eyes that were sultry and tired-looking. A small grin graced her lush lips once she realized that they were both naked under the sheets.

"Did we just… last night?" She didn't finish the first half of her sentence because she was laughing so giddily in between words.

"Yeah, we did." He nodded as he captured her lips for a searing kiss. "And I have a feeling that we're about to do it again."

This caused his wife to blush furiously. But before she could emit a protest – he was already on top of her, ravishing her lips like they were the ambrosia and nectar he needed to continue living; thus ending their small discussion.

After they finally had the urge – and strength despite their wobbly legs after that morning's frisky love-making – to get out of bed, they headed straight for Aphrodite's office. It had been two days since their first trial as a couple. Despite the horrific experience of having to relive the torture of staying in Kronos's stomach, he found that the trauma had reduced in time due to their break from the daily tasks but also due to his wife's support. His wife probably had never seen him so vulnerable before, and when she figured that he wasn't exactly a terrible husband; she graced him another chance (hence the sudden sex last night, although he still felt that was due to the ASP's side effect).

When he and Amphitrite entered the office, everyone was already there. They were staring at them curiously, probably curious as to what would have caused their lateness.

"I think I know why they're late." Aphrodite said cheekily as she grinned from ear-to-ear. "At least _one_ couple had a good night."

"You're one to talk." Persephone said just as he and his wife took their seats beside the king and queen of the Underworld's loveseat. "Suddenly you look all giddy, Aphrodite."

"Yeah. What's that about?" Amphitrite asked as she laced her fingers through his, and he squeezed her hands with a small sigh. This kind of relationship with his wife was so much better than all the yelling and throwing corals at each other.

"I think she and Hephaestus tried to reconnect last night." Hera assumed with a sly grin, although Poseidon doubted it was an assumption. His sister had the great power of sensing the conditions of a married couple, and Aphrodite and Hephaestus were _certainly_ a married couple.

At Hera's assumption, the love goddess blushed which made Persephone and Amphitrite suddenly break into melodic laughter.

"No way!" Persephone tried to wipe off her tears of laughter, but she couldn't because she turned over to start laughing again.

"Aphrodite reconnecting with Hephaestus?" Amphitrite asked as if the idea was a joke.

"Well, we didn't _exactly_ reconnect…" Aphrodite fumbled for words, but she was blushing too brightly that the two goddesses couldn't help but continue their laughter. "Alright, _enough_. We just talked. I hardly consider that _reconnecting_. Now, can we _please_ start so I can give out your daily task?"

"Did they really reconnect last night?" Zeus asked his wife, who was grinning like a madwoman. Poseidon shared a scared look with Hades. It wasn't a pleasant thing whenever their sister looked like she was about to cause World War III using peacocks and cows with that scary grin of hers.

"Well, it's _something_." Hera shrugged, her grin never leaving her face.

"Hey!" Aphrodite's voice squeaked, which wasn't new. "We're focusing on _this_ marriage – not mine. Capiche? What happens outside my marriage counseling has nothing to do with any of you, unfortunately except for Hera who sees and hears everything like a jealous wife."

"I am a jealous wife." Hera admitted, and Zeus looked like he was debating whether or not to jump off the balcony or run for his life. Hell, if Hera had been his wife – he'd be pretty scared too.

"Today's daily task involves a little break from what I've done so recently. Again, my apologies." Aphrodite nodded at Hera, him and Hades. "I want each husband to do something… _fun_ with their wives. Maybe it could be something you used to do together or something new. It could be anything. Before you, my lords, is a piece of paper and a pen—"

At that, a piece of paper and pen appeared before Poseidon. He caught it before it could tumble down on his thighs.

"—where you must write down the particular activity you wish to do with your wife for today. It may be a simple date or something extreme beyond measure. Just _anything_ that you think would set a little flare into your relationship."

"So… anything?" Hades asked suspiciously.

"That's all on you and not on me." Aphrodite said with a wave of her hand.

"But what if we have scheduled meetings for today? Zeus and I, for example." Hera crossed her arms on her chest. "While I appreciate the effort of this daily task, as the king and queen of the gods; we can't just keep neglecting our work. Do you have any idea how many reschedules we had to do for our meeting with the Egyptian gods?"

"I had Iris and Hermes take care of that." The love goddess answered as she took a seat on her leather chair. "I'm sure the Egyptians would understand the drastic measures of this method. This _does_ affect the fate of our world since we're banking on that new oath these three numskulls have to make."

"Numskulls?" Poseidon asked, offended to be called a "numskull".

"Oh, dear, just finish writing." Amphitrite cooed at him. "But make sure it's somewhere I'll _actually_ have fun at."

Poseidon swallowed as he wrote down the best idea he could possibly come up with. He didn't want to screw this up like the last time when he decided to have dinner with her at Montauk Beach of all places. Oh hell no. He was not going to have that kind of crazy – and the last thing he wanted to have with his wife was an argument that set the bar higher than Zeus and Hera fighting together.

Aphrodite took the papers from the three kings after three minutes. As she looked over at the papers, her smile grew so wide he thought the love goddess might never take that grin off.

"Oh, these are _so_ romantic!" Aphrodite squealed which nearly destroyed his ear drums. She started passing out the papers to the goddesses, who in turn received them excitedly as they read the paper.

Amphitrite scanned the paper where he wrote the activity he wanted to do with her on that day. Before she could say anything, another squeal emitted – but it wasn't from Aphrodite. Much to Poseidon's surprise, it was Hera.

"France?!" Hera squealed as she tackled Zeus into a bear hug – nearly making the couple fall off their love seat. "Oh, Zeus – hot air balloons on Loire Valley. How did you know? Oh gods. This is… this is so perfect!"

"Ugh, get a room you two." Persephone gagged, but when she started reading through her own paper – she, too, started squealing (although it didn't beat the volume of Hera's). "Oh, Hades. The Miracle Garden at Dubai? But… it's closed for the summer season! _No person_ can get in."

"Who says we're _persons_?" Hades asked with a mad grin.

"Talk about rebellion. Let's see if you can top them." Amphitrite gave him a sultry wink before reading the paper. His heart nearly tumbled out of his chest when he saw the bright grin on his wife's face. _Thank the Fates he's pleased her_. "Monaco? Oh, not just Monaco. **Monte Carlo**. Oh, the beaches and the sceneries… why—oh, Poseidon."

Before he could explain the things they'd be doing there like sunbathing and swimming, his wife attacked him with kisses that he could hardly talk after her sudden assault. Amphitrite was bouncing ecstatically like the other goddesses, which made the room sound like a hoard of Aphrodite's daughters invaded the office.

"Yes, very romantic indeed." Aphrodite clapped her hands. "I gotta hand it to you, my lords. You just made your wives the happiest goddesses alive."

Poseidon was quite proud of himself for what he had decided. Monte Carlo brought so many good memories between him and Amphitrite. It was where he had taken her five years after he agreed about the pact. He and Amphitrite stayed in the area for six years, avoiding the conflict of their kingly and queenly duties as a form of vacation. By far, it was the best six years of his life. That was… until Sally Jackson. But he didn't dwell on the thought of Sally long, because as Aphrodite adjourned their meeting and told them to "have fun" – his wife was already dragging him out of the office in a hurry as she drawled on about Medea's SPF something lotion and bathing suits.

"Oh, Poseidon." Amphitrite sighed as she reached up to meet his lips. "This is… this is just grand. I mean, this is too much."

"Grand…" He whispered against her lips. "Too much is never enough for you, my little seashell."

She giggled at him as she continued to drag them out of the love goddess's palace. Perhaps, despite recent events, the Aphrodite Method wasn't so… _terrible_ after all.

* * *

 **AN:** Oh, I wouldn't assume so early if I were you, Poseidon. Remember that little upgrade Aphrodite did with the rings? You'll see, haha! Thank you so much for reading this chapter. I know it's pretty short, but did I reach my word count quota so I hope that's enough to satisfy you guys. What were your thoughts on that encounter between Aphrodite and Hephaestus? And what do you think would happen between Poseidon and Amphitrite once they arrive at Monte Carlo? **Please write up a comment/review to let me know what you think.** Stay tuned! – EMPG22HoPe

 **This fanfiction may also be found on Wattpad under my username** _ **MDSummers.**_


	10. Chapter 10: Sentimentality & Kittens P-A

**The Aphrodite Method**

 **AN:** Enjoy a Poseidon/Amphitrite-centric chapter. Heads up for the first half of the story because there _will_ be some half-rated M in it – but I didn't go into full detail since I suck at lemon/smut. Now, I know I'm getting a lot of demands for Zera (Zeus/Hera) chapters, but you guys have to understand that I need to balance the chapters between the three couples. As much as I want to write every daily task in the Zera POV, it wouldn't be fair for the two couples (who I also admire very fondly). Just please be patient about the goings of the story since its central focus is the tri-couple and not just Zera. I'll make sure to satisfy your Zera needs (because really that's my forte). Thank you for understanding, and I hope you enjoy this steaming chapter!

* * *

 **Chapter 10**

 _ **Amphitrite**_

Amphitrite was known for her sentimentality. Not many people know it, but to those closest to her – they knew that her sentimentality was stronger than a sixth sense. Monte Carlo was a sentimental place, merely because she had lived there for six years with Poseidon after he swore an oath to never have any more demigod children. It was a good six years, and a few good years after until… well, until _her._

The sea goddess tried so hard not to dwell on her husband's mistake. Besides, he's done it before and frankly, she had been kind to most of his demigod children in the past. But this one… this one just struck her way more than she expected. It was the product of a broken oath, which gods and all other creatures (Nereids in particular) take very seriously. So really, you can't blame her if she starts acting all bitter whenever the topic of Percy Jackson comes to light. She hasn't had an ounce of a motherly care for him… yet. Given the situation under _The Aphrodite Method_ , she had a feeling she had to "reconnect" with her husband's demigod children otherwise the fate of the world and blah blah blah will burn into smithereens.

They arrived at Monte Carlo faster than any plane or boat possible. When your husband is the lord of the seas and is, quite luckily, one of the Big Three – there are advantages. For mortals, it would take days before they could reach Monaco alone. They got there two hours after they left Aphrodite's office.

Monte Carlo Beach was probably the most significant area they've been to; probably because they spent their night swimming and meals there – but mostly because at that area, everything, for once, felt different. Like she knew he'd never cheat on her again. She knew that it'd be painful to stay there, knowing that she'll be dwelling on the impossible; but these past few days, she learned to give everything a second shot, if not for the umpteenth.

Amphitrite had just returned from their hotel room when she saw Poseidon flirting with three blonde ladies in varying-colored bikinis under their shade. See, there's that other problem why she found it so hard to go forth with the method. He just couldn't take his eyes off of pretty ladies. Yeah, he'd tell her that she was prettier than any of them – but if you're a Nereid whose hearing-potential was far greater than any of the Olympians themselves, you tend to hear the shit your husband says behind your back.

As she approached their shade with much grace and the highest order of restraint, one of the three ladies saw her and nearly paled. Blonde #1 tried to nudge Blonde #2 who was taking with Poseidon, but Blonde #2 waved her off like a fly. So Blonde #1 tried for Blonde #3 who, thank the gods, got the message and paled just as badly when she saw the sea goddess. Now Blonde #1 and Blonde #3 were bugging Blonde #2, who was now more irritated than ever for disturbing her conversation with Poseidon.

This time, Amphitrite cleared her throat loud enough for the four to hear her. Blonde #2 finally looked up to frown, but when she saw who had been bold enough to disturb them – her skin turned as white as snow. Poseidon turned, but instead of nearing the state of embarrassment like the three girls, he grinned at her like it was _totally_ normal for him to flirt with three pretty ladies.

"Babe!" Poseidon's grin widened as he took off from his beach chair. His ripped body glistened against the summer sun and with only his swimming trunks with him – it's hard to stray from the sight of him. He was a freaking stud. "You got that Media SPF lotion?"

Oh, he wanted to play coy now. Amphitrite grinned back convincingly enough as she nodded and said, "Oh yeah, babe. Thank the _gods_ I didn't forget it this time."

"Wouldn't want that lovely skin of yours to burn, ey?" He was standing before her now, just inches away that it could have made her melt into a pool of sea water if she wasn't a Nereid. Much to her expectant surprise, he snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her flush against him. He brought his lips close to her ear then whispered, "Play along."

Before she could let her husband explain, she took a fistful of his raven locks and slammed his lips against hers. A low growl came from Poseidon before he tightened his hold on her, deepening the kiss in the process. From the corner of her eye, she could see the three blondes staring with flushed, angry faces. It only increased her need to insult them when her husband started to dip her low, the way those Rom-Com movies do when the couple finally shares that one special kiss. Yeah, those blondes were fuming like tomatoes now.

When Poseidon finally pulled away, she hadn't realized that she stopped breathing. By the gods, he was one hell of a good kisser – whether he was in the feat of acting it out or not. Amphitrite placed a hand on his chest and grinned up to him playfully. They both turned to look at the three blondes who looked like they just witnessed death.

"Oh, ladies." Poseidon beamed at them with a wicked smile. "This is my beautiful wife, Amphitrite. Sexy, isn't she? Say hello for me."

"Lady Amphitrite," Blonde #1 and #3 bowed quickly, trampling on their words. Blonde #2 sniffed disdainfully, but she bowed reluctantly.

"Our apologies, your highnesses," Blonde #2 spat rather bitterly in her sugar-coated voice before dragging Blonde #1 and #3 away from the area.

As soon as they were a foot away, Amphitrite couldn't help but double over in laughter. Poseidon joined her as he dragged her back to their shade which was now free of way-too-revealing and flirty blondes.

"You know those three?" Amphitrite giggled as she took her place on the beach chair next to her husband's.

"Two nymphs and I think the middle one with the snarky attitude was a minor goddess whose parent and name I give no crap about." Poseidon explained to her, making no motion to take his seat. "Honestly, Amphitrite, you really think I'd flirt with them knowing I'm having "fun" with you?"

"Gee, I wouldn't know." She rolled her eyes playfully as she shifted on her chair so now her back was revealed and her face met the fabric of her seat. "It wouldn't be the first time, anyway. Now, give your _sexy_ wife her Medea SPF. The last thing I need is to burn under the sun faster than anyone could say _Styx._ "

"Oh, Amphi – you don't need that." He told her but just as she was about to protest, he started carrying her off the beach chair like a sack of flour.

"Hey!" She complained as she pounded her fists on her husband's large back, but she doubted it made any damage. "Put me down, you big oaf! I'll pulverize your balls, you hear me?!"

"Keep it PG for the kids, love. Now… into the sea where you belong, baby." He said in between baritone laughs as he walked them up to the beach. She only realized way too late how near they were to the water. Before she could start kicking him in places that would hurt the living immortal out of him, he tossed her into the mercilessly cold waters of Monte Carlo.

Amphitrite submerged after she made sense of what just happened to her. She shook her head, causing strings of her blonde hair to slap water near other swimmers. They gave her nasty glares, but she didn't pay them any attention. By now, Poseidon was already standing right next to her; curling his strong arms around her waist before lifting her up to him. Instinctively, her legs clung around his waist and she held onto his shoulders for dear life.

He was still laughing at her, which caused the sea goddess to spat at him. "You asshole! I could have drowned!"

"That's silly, my little seashell." He chuckled as he nuzzled his nose against hers. "Are you not a sea goddess?"

She splashed a string of water against him, but that only made him laugh even harder. At that, she tried to suppress her own laughter but even her own restraint found the situation humorous. He then started carrying her over to a deeper part of the beach, causing mortals to stare at them either in awe or horror because none of them could get past the depth of the beach line.

"Cowards." He muttered against her ear, causing her to giggle in response. After a few more minutes, they were finally miles away from the beach line – and what once was sand where he stood was now nothing but water and depth. "I think this is the perfect spot now. Don't you think?"

"Hmm," She mumbled in agreement as she stared at the awed and horrified looks of the mortals who looked like slightly larger ants in the distance. "Wait, perfect spot for what?"

"This." And in that instance, he captured her lips in a searing kiss that quite literally took her breath away. He bit at her bottom lip, emitting a moan from the sea goddess. His hands roamed freely from the nape of her neck, to the length of her back down to the cheeks of her butt. At this, she couldn't help but pull away from him for both air and clarity.

"Oh, Poseidon. Not here." She breathed out, but he started biting the flesh of her neck tenderly now – a low growl coming from him as a response. The more his hands got frisky, the naughtier his lips graced her skin. Every nerve in her body jumped up on its hind legs, sincerely ready for what her husband had in store for her. Even though they looked miles away from the interested crowd, she had a feeling that the mortals could decipher what they were up to – and what they were about to do.

"I don't like to be kept waiting, Amphi." He moaned against her collarbone as his fingers began to untangle the straps of her bikini's bra. "Tell me what you want, love. I'll give it to you."

Amphitrite couldn't think straight with all the frisky touches and the sucks and kisses of his lips against her skin. While they had their share of lovemaking in bed, it had been _ages_ since they've done it **on** the waters – ah, and in public view too, she might add.

"Amphi." His voice was more earnest now, more needing as he started to snap the straps off her underwear. Any minute now, her material would be floating to gods-knows-where and she'd be naked against her husband's hold.

"Take me as you will, _Poseidon_." She gasped wantonly; and it was all her husband needed before they found themselves lost in each other's voices and touches – savoring every second like it was the last they had together.

* * *

 _ **Poseidon**_

They were through minutes before the lifeguards finally came to "rescue" them in a lifeboat. Poseidon tried not to laugh at the foolishness of mortals, but he _did_ have to remember that they **were** disguised as mortals and mortals don't just walk over the beach line like that bearded man in that Catholic religion people believed so wearily these days. So they were "saved" by the lifeguards and they were thanking every higher being that the couple was safe. He could tell by the look on their pale faces that they wanted to be mad, but overall they were just glad they didn't drown and haven't gotten eaten by a shark or something.

For the rest of the day, they did all sorts of water sports like parasailing and jet-skiing. The local nymphs and satyrs that resided in Monte Carlo took notice of them every now and then, seeing as majority of them ran the hotel that they were staying at. But if they wanted to harbor gossip about the king of the seas _finally_ taking his wife out to have a good time – then let them. At least the gossip was more positively exhibited.

On the night before they would depart to go back to the sea palace, he had dinner prepared for them at the beach-side. While it wasn't really allowed due to hotel rules and whatnot, Poseidon paid the nymphs enough sea dollars to make it happen. He'd pay just about anyone for the happiness and satisfaction of his wife.

"Oh, wow." Amphitrite's eyes widened in surprise once she saw the set-up.

"Do you like it?" Poseidon asked her from behind, kissing the crown of her head in the process. "I know I screwed up in Montauk and I'm sorry. Consider this as compensation for my idiocy."

"You were an idiot." She nodded approvingly as he led her to her seat on the other side of the circular table where their meal awaited. "But you're the only idiot I would love for the life of me."

He sat adjacent to her and took her hand on the table the minute he was settled. The nymphs had prepared them a roast-beef meal which was, admittedly, a bit hard to find in a country rich in seafood. While he understood the resource of being known for seafood, he was still disgusted to see innocent sea creatures being butchered for mortal meal. Why he even allowed such a rule since the ancient times, he had no idea.

Soft, classical music enhanced the ambiance of their dinner. Waves lapped gently against the shore in a manner so calm that it reflected its master's mood greatly. The night sky twinkled with stars and constellations that he knew so well. One could say that it was the perfect date, straight out of a Nicholas Sparks book – one in which his wife had taken great interest in. For a mortal who's only known romantic love through one woman – he did have some pretty grand ideas.

They conversed in a manner that didn't involve sarcasm or the sudden need to throw utensils at each other. For once, it was peaceful. No mentions of affairs or problems that usually got in the way of their relationship. Perhaps it was under Eros's or Aphrodite's control, but even if the two love gods intervened, he would still be thankful. It's not every day you get to dine with your wife without having the sore need to strangle the life out of each other.

After they finished their meal and is slightly tipsy from the amount of wine Dionysus, according to a satyr, particularly chose for them – he invited her to dance.

"Dance?" Amphitrite asked wearily as the first verse of Michael Buble's "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You" played in the background. "Do you remember the last time you invited me to dance? I nearly sent you to Apollo for stepping on your toes."

"Oh, the pain is still there, my little seashell." Poseidon chuckled as he offered his hand which his wife took reluctantly. He led her near the shoreline where the waves lapped against the sand before taking her in his arms. "For a Nereid, you're a clumsy dancer."

"That's because I hardly danced with men before you sent Delphin to get me, you persistent oaf." She laughed as he began swaying her effortlessly when the second chorus came into a more upbeat tone. "I am not to blame for your soon-to-be broken toes, my lord."

"Then break them." He challenged her playfully as he gently swayed her to the tune of the song. He laid his forehead against hers as their bare feet met the cold rush of the waves against the shoreline. "It would be a privilege to have my toes broken by you."

She giggled angelically as he dipped her low, just enough for the tips of her blonde locks to be tickled by the waves. "That's a quote from a book I can't seem to remember. Have you been reading my Nicholas Sparks and YA books?"

"Where do you think I got the crazy idea of a candle-lit dinner on the beach?" He shook his head as he pulled her back up to twirl her, her sea-green maxi dress fluttering beautifully as she spun back to him. "Your little author is quite the romantic."

"Oh, for the sake of inflating your ego – you do exhibit more romantic gestures than his books' leading males." She admitted as she nuzzled her nose against his.

They were rambunctious for a few seconds, twirling and spinning each other with such fervent need, along with his wife occasionally stepping on his toes. Hell, his toes were probably sore by now – but he swayed her nevertheless, pulling her flush against him as he whispered sweet nothings into her ear.

"You should dye your hair back." He whispered to her once as pulled her closer for a slow dance as they reveled in the mellow tone that the song continued to play.

"Dye my hair my back?" She squeaked against his chest.

"Yeah." He nodded as he cupped her chin for her to look at him. "As much as I love blonde on you, I really missed your raven locks. Why did you dye your hair anyway?"

"Oh." She blushed as she moved her gaze towards the sea before them. "I just… I thought maybe I could look more like my sisters. You know, pretty blondes and all that."

"Why would you want to look like them?"

"Because I was insecure, okay?" She spat bitterly at him, her eyes now focused on his. "I realized that maybe if I dyed my hair or changed the way I dressed that you would take notice. That maybe… just maybe you'd stop straying from me. But no matter what I try…"

A tear slipped down his wife's cheek, and just the sight of that made him feel like an idiot. He stopped swaying her just as the song ended. His hands found their way to her cheeks, holding them gently; afraid that if he held on too tight that she might break like glass.

"Hey, you didn't need to do that, okay?" He said apologetically. "I don't want you to change because you think that what you are isn't good enough. You **are** good enough. By Hades, you deserve better than some lying, cheating bastard like me. I was really considering of letting you go because you weren't the same Amphitrite who was just… _Amphitrite._ I thought maybe that I could send you off to a more decent merman… someone who'll care about you. But… I didn't have the heart to. I love you too much to let you go."

"If you love me, then why would you stray?" She asked incoherently as tears began to stream down her once brightly lit face.

"Look, my little seashell. I can't explain my affairs and I certainly don't have an excuse for it because I know that what I did was a shitty way of treating my wife. But I can make it right again." He promised as he wiped her tears with his thumbs, catching every stray tear as gently as he could. "I can. Just… just give me one more chance, Amphi. If, at some point, I'm caught in the net – I want you to find someone else."

"Poseidon!" Her eyes were wide as saucers now, all drenched in fear and anger. "Don't say that!"

"Promise me, Amphitrite." His voice croaked this time. "Promise me you'll find another man the second you find out I've strayed again."

"Stop that! Please stop!" She shook her head violently this time as she, too, took his face in her hands. "You're talking like madman. How _dare_ you give me away so easily?! I will _never_ find another man, do you hear me? I will _never_ forgive you if you decide to give me away so easily like I've meant nothing to you! You could cheat me on me for eternity, but I will **never** condone myself to leaving you. Do you understand what I'm saying? Poseidon?!"

Just before his wife could say more, he crashed his lips harshly against hers. Amphitrite returned the same fervor, winding her arms around his neck as one hand strained to fist a lock-full of his hair. They tumbled carelessly onto the sand, his wife under him. He cradled her head gently with his arm, but he gave no sense of the same gentleness towards his kiss. Because if he did, hell knows how much he'd lose his mind for giving her away.

When he finally pulled away, they breathed heavily as they tried to make sense of what just happened. Amphitrite's eyes were red from all the crying and her cheeks blushed, either from what just happened or from the wine they drank moments ago. She looked so vulnerable under him, and it was practically the first time he'd seen her that way in years. There was that shy innocence and none of that cold, hard defense of hers that she so loved to put up.

"Please don't leave me." He was as vulnerable as he was back at the stomach simulator. But this time, it wasn't fear of never getting out of a stomach he's lived in for so long. It was fear of losing his wife. "Please…"

"I won't." She whispered delicately as she kissed his nose. "As long as you don't give me away…"

"Never." He shook his head before taking her lips softly. "You belong to me as I belong to you. You're my mate. I will never forgive myself if I…"

"Shh…" She shushed him with the tip of her finger against his lips. As she did this, she guided one of his hands to the strap of her dress that at one pull would leave her naked under him. "Just imagine that we only have this moment."

He fumbled for the strap, hesitant at first before pulling it free. He gazed at her longingly, noting her beauty against the moon's light and the way her hair swished beautifully every time the waves hit the dunes. It only took a sentence before they found themselves lost in each other's touch.

"Then we shall have it."

* * *

 **Aphrodite**

The love goddess slept too late last night. Actually, she only slept around seven in the morning and woke up two hours later to hear incessant banging on her bedroom door. Much to her surprise, she stayed up late to watch Hephaestus work on the upgrade of the rings. It had to take a lot of careful moving when it came to Poseidon and Amphitrite because those two _could not_ sleep a wink until Amphitrite finally got tired. And she thought _she_ was crazy about sex.

But when she saw the couple through her crystal ball, she saw how beautifully they came to be. It's not permanent – all those lovey-dovey things they've done. Eventually it'll fade, but isn't that what _The Aphrodite Method_ is for? To rekindle their once so eloquent romance? While they may find themselves in a rut in the future, surely the "box" would help them. But the "box" would have to wait… and everything else, really, because the loud knocking was really getting to her head.

"I'm coming, sheesh!" Aphrodite muttered crankily as she hopped off her bed, nearly tripping in the process. When she opened her doors to reveal the tri-couple, she sighed tiredly. "My apologies if I look like a mess. I have just woken up. Please have a seat, your majesties."

"You just woke up?" Hera asked as they all entered the room. "It's nine in the morning, Aphrodite. Unless my son was here and you've been spending the hours dillydallying."

"You'd be surprised to know that Ares wasn't here and he hasn't been for days now." Aphrodite yawned in reply as she began to rummage under her lacquer desk. "So, tell me. How was your little… vacation?"

"Awful." Hera muttered under her breath.

"It was amazing!" Persephone squealed delightedly.

"Perfect." Amphitrite sighed dreamily.

Aphrodite peeked up from under her desk to eye Hera. "What do you mean by awful, Lady Hera?"

"Imagine you're on your way home." Hera drawled out bitterly as she eyed Zeus beside her. Zeus, on the other hand, was fiddling with a keychain of what looks like a mini Eiffel Tower; averting his wife's gaze. "Everything was perfect that day! It was magical. Popped right out of a Nora Roberts novel. Oh, but I knew it was too good to be true. Apparently, _someone_ thought it wasn't enough."

"In layman's term?" Aphrodite arched a brow.

"He flirted with the female pilot of our plane." Hera huffed disdainfully as she counted with her fingers. "And the stewardess and that one lady that was assisting us out of our hot air balloon. Do you need me to _count_ how many there were? And **why** he wasn't paralyzed for thirty minutes per harlot?"

"Oh." Aphrodite blushed nervously. That would explain why Hephaestus was so worried about the rings last night. There was a malfunction on one of the rings when she first brought it to him for upgrading. It didn't take a mind-reader to know whose ring was it. "I suppose… I should have those rings checked immediately. I apologize if such an occurrence happened."

"Yes, well, this whole vacation was a _joke_." Hera spat.

"I wasn't flirting with them!" Zeus reacted defensively this time. He looked meek, but he didn't back down when his wife glared at him. For a minute there, Aphrodite actually believed him. She would know if a man was insinuating flirtation. "I was simply conversing."

"And "simply conversing" as you so lightly put it is caressing their arm or holding their hand?" Hera backfired as she crossed her arms on her chest. "Some _simple_ conversing you had with such "gorgeous" and "lovely" ladies."

"Hera." Zeus sighed in frustration as he rubbed his temples. Aphrodite decided against the idea of telling them the truth. Let Zeus explain himself truthfully for once. "For the umpteenth time, those were _accidents_."

"Accidents?! Really, of all the things you could have said, _that_ 's your excuse?" Hera was fuming now, which scared the life out of Aphrodite. Sooner or later, the queen of the gods would start blasting every inanimate object in sight.

"Alrighty!" Aphrodite laughed nervously despite how sleepy she still felt. She rose from under her desk as carried a brown box with her. "Honestly, you two. This is just one of those "in a rut" days that can be fixed with a kiss on the lips or a romantic dinner at _Hebe's_. You'll have to get over that for now or talk it out later because your next daily task is a bit more… challenging than the previous ones you've had."

"Gee, what could be more challenging than spoon-feeding each other?" Persephone asked sarcastically, but she didn't seem to be fazed like Hera because she was resting her head on Hades' shoulder.

Aphrodite smirked as she popped open the box she held before turning it over upside down. From inside the box stumbled out a total of ten baby kittens in varying colors. The whole room was suddenly filled with tiny _meows_ and soft scratching against carpet.

"What are those things?" Hades asked, horrified as he pointed at the kittens.

"Those are kittens, you big-head!" Persephone cooed. "They're adorable!"

"And they're yours!" Aphrodite grinned proudly as she put her hands on her hips.

"Ours?" Poseidon asked as he stared dubiously at the little creatures. "How are these horrifying little vermins _ours_?"

"You'll see!" Aphrodite said. "Now little ones, go to your parents."

The little kittens _meowed_ in unison as they all went to their respective couples. Five kittens went to Zeus and Hera, four to Poseidon and Amphitrite and one to Hades and Persephone. The husbands looked terrified, but the wives were more than happy to welcome the little ones. _Ha_. Aphrodite laughed in her head. _Says a lot about the Big Three._

"Oh, aren't they the cutest little sugarplums?" Hera cooed as she brought up all five kittens onto her lap. One black and brown kitten started scratching against one of the brown ones, but the tiny feud halted when the queen of the gods scolded them. "No! You don't fight on your mommy's lap!"

"Kittens! Why does it have to be kittens?" Zeus asked incredulously and yelped like a girl when one of the white kitties jumped on his lap. "Get this critter off of me!"

"Oh, don't be such a big baby, Zeus!" Hera frowned at him once the white kitten started wailing like crazy. "Look what you did! You've upset her!"

"How do you even know if it's a _her_?!" Zeus shook his head in disbelief as he backed away from a caramel-colored kitten that was approaching him.

Poseidon and Amphitrite's kittens immediately turned into hybrid merkitties (half-kitty, half-mermaid) once they all jumped up to the couple's laps. The lord of the seas looked absolutely horrified, but Amphitrite was more than happy to hold and caress them.

"Such lovely little creatures! They're even cuter as half fish. Oh, the irony." Amphitrite tapped on a butter-colored kitten's nose delightedly. "Oh, Poseidon – don't they look adorable?"

"Little monsters, I say." Poseidon muttered as he tried to push an orange-colored kitten away from him.

"Why do they get a lot and we only get one?" Persephone complained as she cradled the black kitty in her arms. "I mean, not that I'm complaining so drastically or anything. This little one is so adorable!"

"Be thankful we only have **one**. I'm not sure I can live with myself knowing there are five kittens running around. Honestly, what would Cerberus think?" Hades huffed before turning to the love goddess. "This is our task?"

"I want you to take care of these kittens for me. Babysit, if you will." Aphrodite said as she brushed her blonde locks effortlessly. One sweep on a tangled strand of hair immediately turned it back to normal. "This is a test regarding trust and cooperation. Should you choose to ignore these kittens for _one_ second in their time of need, your rings will do its magic on you."

"Talk about forced parenting. But… why kittens?" Poseidon asked dubiously. "And why are they numbered per couple?"

"Oh you'll see." Aphrodite couldn't help but grin evilly which probably scared the wits out of the three kings. Suddenly, her mood changed from maniacal evil to PMS. "Now shoo! Way to ruin a love godess' sleep, huh? I ought to have cursed you with some love potion or something. Off you go now, shoo!"

When she finally had the couples leaving in a hurry – probably in fear of being attacked by some crazy love potion – Aphrodite sighed in relief as she tumbled back to her bed. Only the sound of her iPhone buzzing loudly under her pillow irritated her. But when she saw who it was through caller ID, she smiled lightly, if not too brightly.

Only after pressing the _answer_ button did her smile exceed above the shine of Apollo's chariot.

* * *

 **ATTENTION:** _Calling all Percy Jackson and the Olympians/Heroes of Olympus fans that roleplay on Tumblr. My best friend and I are currently looking for a co-admin that'll help us create a post-Blood of Olympus/post-PJO/HOO roleplay group that is centered on the Greek gods alone. There is no full plot yet, but the concept is pretty simple: the characters for the roleplay will be the Greek gods, not the demigods. If you're interested in helping us build this type of roleplay, don't hesitate to send me message here on FF dot net (and feel free to add more ideas if you do have more)._

 **AN:** Oh, Aphrodite. What have you got up your sleeve now? You can't go through _The Aphrodite Method_ without experiencing all that mental stuff the love goddess makes you go through. Anywho, thank you for reading this chapter and your reviews! **Please comment/review** your thoughts on this chapter, and let me know if you have any ideas for some of the recurring daily tasks (because I'm admittedly running out, haha). Stay tuned! –EMPG22HoPe

 **This fanfiction can also be found on Wattpad under my username** _ **MDSummers.**_


	11. Chapter 11: Without You, I'm Torn (Z-H)

**The Aphrodite Method**

 **AN:** I received a _wave_ of suggestions for the recurring daily tasks and I'm happy to say that a lot of them will be featured in future chapters. Honestly, I don't know what I'd do without you guys. Thank you so much for the support you're all putting into this story, especially since this is the _only_ standing multi-chaptered fanfic in the Greek mythology/PJO/HOO categories that features the ships Zeus/Hera and Poseidon/Amphitrite. Note that I didn't mention Hades/Persephone cause, well… they never run out of fanfics. For real. I envy them.

So if you have friends who love those two ships (and who also loves Aphrodite/Hephaestus and… wait for it… Ares/Athena [Sush.. pretend I didn't just spoil you, person who was awesome enough to read the author's note]), feel free to spread the word as best as you could. Other than that, I hope you'll enjoy this chapter!

This chapter is dedicated to Fanfiction authors (and die-hard Zera fans) **kimi-lee22** and **Zeerraa.**

* * *

 **Chapter 11**

 _ **Hera**_

Aphrodite had given them five Siberian kitties. To say that Hera was elated was an understatement. It was more than that. Since the _lion_ and the _panther_ were some of her symbolic animals, it was pretty easy to say that she's a die-hard fan of cat-like animals. Her husband… well, not so much.

See, during the early days of the Olympians' Golden Age – Zeus was brave enough to attempt to "woo" her despite every man she smacked down face-first for even _thinking_ of flirting with her. Try to kiss her? I don't think so, loser. But he got his way with tricking her into saying she loved him – which was all good, since his persistence to woo her was what got her joining the bet in the first place. Anyway, during the first few stages of his "wooing" – her pet lion, a gift from her mother Rhea, would always snarl at him. Sometimes, her lion would even bite his ass off so bad he couldn't sit on his mighty throne (a.k.a, his "chick magnet") for weeks. So really, she couldn't blame Zeus for being a wee-bit scared of cats – even if they were **baby kittens.**

Hera wouldn't mind having one or all of the little cuties bite her husband's fingers or at least scratch his eye out with their little paws. She was still infuriated with him despite the _spontaneous_ – not romantic, _spontaneous_ as he so lightly pressed a thousand times yesterday – hot air balloon vacation they went through in France. For a while, everything was great. They got to see the sights, ate a bunch of Ladurée sweets (well, Zeus ate a lot – but she still ate little and she was glad he hadn't noticed) and just had the greatest time together.

But of course, once the whole show of "having fun" was over – he reverted back to the same womanizing man he was. You'd think things have changed since the last time they got vulnerable with each other, and she still had nightmares about that stomach simulator. Instead, it was all just an attempt to not get punished by Aphrodite, and by punished – it meant another set of her antique peacock collection being taken away from her. And no matter how many times he begged her to believe him that it was "nothing" or it was an "accident", she knew better.

She was Hera for crying out loud. She knows and sees bullshit when her husband executes it.

"Are you seriously still not talking to me?" Zeus asked as he closed the kitchen door behind him.

Hera glared at him haughtily while holding the five Siberian kittens in her arms. Well, there were three in her arms and two on either side of her shoulders. It was wise of her to hold them all to herself because Hades knows how terrified her husband was of such innocent kittens.

"Why would I?" Hera spat as she placed the kittens onto the island counter in the middle of the kitchen. She had decided to make gourmet cat food for the kittens before lunch arrived, but since Aphrodite required them to take care of the kittens _together_ – she now had Zeus tailing her like a lost puppy. "You could have slept with those women if we weren't on _vacation_ , which was, by the way, _not so fun_."

"I wasn't flirting with them." Zeus groaned for the umpteenth time as he ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "Could you at least hear me out for one minute so I can shed some light into what just happened yesterday?"

The queen turned to look at the wall clock just above the stove. "One minute. Go."

"The lady who assisted us out of the hot air balloon – she asked me if we had a _lovely_ flight and I told her we did have a _lovely_ flight. I didn't exactly call her "lovely" and "gorgeous" for the sake of flirtation. The stewardess – honestly, I don't know what was up with that. She told me to hold her hand just to see what was wrong with it. I thought maybe she had an injury so I checked it and there wasn't. If anything, _she_ started it. And the lady pilot – gods, Hera. I stroked her arm because she was sad, okay? Her son just died two days ago and she was pretty emotional so she wanted me to comfort her."

"That last one sounds a lot like insinuating flirtation to me." She arched a brow at her husband as the kittens meowed in unison.

Now, as a goddess whose sacred animals were the lion and the panther, she pretty much had the power to read their minds. She basically had the power to read all cat-like creatures' minds. And boy, did the little kittens just say, _'Yeah, go beat his ass momma Hera! Oh, and can we have fish sticks for lunch? You know we can throw those fish sticks at him too, right?'_.

"So what now, hm?" She glared at her husband profusely. "You're just going to comfort every woman in New York who tells you that her son died, while _stroking her arm_?"

"Okay, _maybe_ that was a little physical." He admitted with a grimace. "But honestly, I had no intention of sleeping with her. Hell, I didn't even think that was flirtation. She was really upset. And besides, the ring didn't bite me."

"It may have been a malfunction in the ring!" She reasoned as she started to fish out ingredients from the refrigerator. Now, where was that liver?

"You're really going to give me that reason?" He asked her and just as she was about to turn, he was already standing just inches before her. Before she could say anything else, he helped her carry out the heavy ingredients to the island counter. "The ring proves it, Hera. I didn't flirt with them. I didn't even _think_ of sleeping with them. Do you honestly think I'd do that in the middle of our vacation?"

"It wouldn't be the first time." She muttered bitterly as she carried the rest of the lighter ingredients and the utensils to the island counter, turning her back on her husband as she assembled the materials. The kittens started crowding towards the ingredients, but they made no motion to scratch or lick anything. A small smile graced her lips upon seeing the kittens. Each little one reminded her so much of her own children who are, sadly, not-so family-oriented in nature.

' _Momma Hera, we want Ambrosia!'_ The grey kitten meowed.

' _Eww! Meat has cooties! Eww!'_ The white kitten hissed.

' _How could you feed your children with these disgusting things?'_ The black-brown kitten complained haughtily as he started pawing at the meat. ' _Ambrosia for lunch. And fish sticks!'_

' _Fish sticks!'_ The other kittens followed with a battle cry, which on the outside just sounded a lot like, "Mreoooow!"

Suddenly, she felt strong arms snake their way around her waist. Hot air blew against the nape of her neck as she felt her husband pull her close to him from behind. Before she could protest, he planted a light kiss against her nape; sending annoyingly comforting shivers down her spine. The bastard knew her sweet spot too well.

"I'm sorry about those past vacations." Zeus whispered against her skin as he peppered her nape with soft, tender kisses. "But I'm being honest here, baby. I swear to it by the Styx and may the fates be my witness… I really didn't flirt with them. I know it's a little early to be called a changed man… er, god. Yet, I'm really trying my best here, love. I want you… _only_ you."

The kittens were meowing sadly now. Well, the caramel, white and grey colored kittens were which Hera had identified earlier as females. The black-brown and dark brown colored kittens were, much to her surprise, hissing violently, _'Don't fall for this crap, momma Hera! Bullshit! We call bullshit!'_ Oh, they were male kittens. Go figure with the profanities.

Thank the gods Zeus didn't know what they were meowing about; otherwise, this whole situation could have gone through more drastic paths.

"You say that every time you…" She trailed off as she started packing back the ingredients in a pile due to the demands of the kittens for a different meal. Oh, how was she going to concentrate on frying fish sticks if he was right behind her, hugging her like his life depended on her touch? This caused the queen of the gods to sigh in defeat. "Fine. I believe you."

His body stiffened momentarily, but she felt him relax as he murmured in surprise, "Really?"

"Yeah." She nodded sadly as she snapped her fingers, causing the lump of meat and pieces of liver to disappear. The kittens were meowing like crazy now. At first she thought they were just hungry, but after reading their really mean thoughts about Zeus – she decided they were just pretty pissed.

' _How could you trust this stupid head, momma Hera?! He's a big fat meanie who—*bleep* and *bleep* also because *bleep* *bleep* *bleep* *bleeeeeeeeeep*'_

For kittens, they had quite the dirty mouth. Hera mentally scolded them of course. The last thing she needed right now were baby kittens spewing profanities like Samuel L. Jackson. She'd smack their heads hard, but she only did that with her children who, despite their immortal age, was not allowed to curse whenever they were around her.

As she snapped her fingers a second time to reveal a box of Hestia's Ambrosia brownies and a packet of frozen fish sticks, she carefully untangled her husband's arms from her waist. Thankfully, he released her – but he didn't look pleased about it. After doing so, she attended to the little kittens on the counter as she ordered Zeus to start frying the fish sticks.

"Hera, you do mean it?" Zeus asked her after minutes of silence, save for the sound of the oil crackling and the little kittens meowing as they gathered near Hera.

Hera looked up to him as she forced a smile. "Of course."

Suddenly, the pink ring on her right ring finger started biting her. The queen tried to suppress the pain that the ring was executing, but the harder she fisted her hand; the more painful the celestial bronze and ceramic ring dug through her skin. The white kitten meowed at her worriedly and the caramel and grey kittens followed their sister's example. As for the black-brown and dark brown kitten… well, they were arguing – but that's not something new.

After suppressing the bite that was sure to cut her finger off, she yelped helplessly – attracting the attention of the male kittens and Zeus.

"Hera, what happened?" Zeus asked in distraught as he neared her quickly.

Hera shook her head to tell him nothing, but her continuous yelps have proven to be anything _but_ nothing. "I'm fine."

"Is it the ring?" He took her right hand this time and much to her late realization, she saw her golden ichor seeping around the pink ring as it bit into her skin. "Damn it, Hera. You were lying to me, weren't you?"

"Meow!" The caramel kitten exclaimed as she jumped off the island counter with ease, and the grey and white kitten followed her. Hera didn't have time to react because the ring dug in harder than the last time.

"Gods damn it, it hurts!" She screamed, the pain not even subsiding for one second. Finally, she looked up to her husband helplessly, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Make it stop, Zeus."

"I can't, baby. Not if you stop doing whatever it is that's blocking the method." He whispered to her with genuine comfort, and while it did release some of her tension – it still didn't stop the ring. "Hera, please. You're just hurting yourself."

"I-I can't." She shook her head as she sobbed. "Don't you see, Zeus? I can't just say that everything's okay when it's not. No matter what happens, you will always stray. No oath or thread of life is going to stop you from sleeping with other women. Because I know… just deep down… that you will _never_ change."

It was a harsh thing to say, but he had to know. Zeus would say that he was trying his best and at one point, it'd be really solemn. But the next day, she'd just find him prancing around with some dumb blonde. She had lived far too long to know his patterns, and despite the promise of _The Aphrodite Method_ – it still wouldn't change her husband's old ways.

Zeus looked stricken, like he'd shot himself with his own master bolt. But his look of surprise and pain melted into sadness. The black-brown and dark brown kittens have finally stopped fighting. They looked around in search for their sisters. And just in time, the three female kittens jumped back up onto the island counter. Where they've gone off to, Hera had no idea. But they all approached Zeus with little materials in their mouths. The grey kitten carried a small square of bandage cloth while the white kitten and the caramel kitten struggled to carry a small bottle of nectar.

Hera was about to ask the kittens where they've gone off to and where they got those things, but Zeus had already taken the materials from the kittens, patted their tiny heads wearily before looking at her.

The female kittens, with the black-brown and dark brown kittens joining them, meowed at Zeus worriedly and she understood what they were saying.

' _Don't just stand there, you stupid head! Heal her!_ '

Zeus probably got the message, because he attempted to take a hold of her hand. Hera, on the other hand, flinched as she retracted, causing her husband to groan in frustration.

"Hera, let go." He told her softly as he pulled her to him, her body flush against his. He then drew his lips onto her forehead and whispered against her skin, "Please let go, baby. I know you still think this whole thing is a hopeless case, but if you don't stop blocking the method – gods knows how long before that ring cuts your finger off."

For once, her husband was right. Hera hid her face in his chest, breathing in his scent of ozone and fresh pinecones. With that, she tried to think of the happy times they spent together. Their breakfast at _Hebe's_ , spoon-feeding each other and making a mess despite the other Olympians staring at them dubiously during lunch and dinner, the hot air balloon ride in France. Slowly, the pain subsided and so did her tears though her cheeks were still damp.

"There you go." He grinned at her playfully in spite of the intense mood that enveloped them. Then, he pulled her up to sit on the counter so that they were now face to face in height. The kittens jumped onto her lap and started licking and cooing at her left hand – the uninjured one – hoping it would help release some of the pain.

Zeus dried her dampened cheeks with one hand and carefully took her injured hand in his other. He then asked, "What did you do to make it stop?"

Hera bit her lip as her husband poured nectar onto the infected area. Although the ring was stuck and couldn't be removed unless done by Aphrodite, he managed to get the nectar to seep under the ring.

"I thought about… I thought about our happy moments." Hera admitted as she felt the nectar finally taking effect on the injured finger. Her left hand stroked the heads of the kittens on her lap who were grazing themselves against her thighs and stomach tenderly. "There weren't many but… they were good."

' _Yay, momma Hera's healing!'_

Zeus wrapped the small square cloth bandage around her finger gently and with a tap of his finger against the loose end, the bandage sealed. He met her gaze as his hand caressed hers soothingly.

"We should make more happy moments." Zeus suggested as he planted a kiss on her forehead, his lips lingering there a little longer. "One where you don't mention my affairs and I don't mention you nearly toppling off the fate of our world because of your little prophecy interpretation."

"Oh, please." Hera rolled her eyes, but she smiled profoundly. "You're still not over that? Come on, I practically saved this family. If I hadn't thought of what the prophecy could mean, none of us would still be living in the lap of Olympic luxury."

"Partly true." Zeus jested with a roll of his eyes. "I still have to punish you for that, though."

"Asshole." Hera huffed dejectedly as she pouted. Her husband chuckled at her childishness.

The kittens on her lap started to scratch the life out of her thighs now. They pawed their little paws on her, jumped and circled on her lap as if they've taken some sort of drug that triggered their ADHD.

' _Momma, play time!'_

"Do you understand what they're saying?" Zeus asked her as he tried to pry off the black-brown kitten from her lap, almost failing miserably when the kitten started flailing around. "By Hades, this is some high class déjà vu."

"Cats aren't exactly fond of you, Zeus." Hera laughed as she carefully scooted the other kittens off her lap and onto the counter. "They're saying they want to play."

"But it's lunch time." Zeus arched a brow as he pointed at the wall clock. "Play time can wait."

The kittens didn't like the sound of that, because they started flailing around like little madmen. The black-brown kitten in particular was practically the most violent next to the grey kitten. They were like two-in-one war freaks.

' _There is no wait in play time, daddy Zeus!'_ The grey kitten meowed.

' _Play time or we bite off your fingers you big lug of *bleeeeeeep*'_ The black-brown kitten hissed.

"Hey, language!" Hera scolded but she couldn't help but laugh. Somehow the personalities of their kittens resembled a number of gods she knew, which was odd. "I suppose we'd have to bring them to the dining area."

"What would the others think?" Zeus asked, horrified. "I don't think five little kittens rampaging through the dining hall would make a good lunch, love."

' _Did he say lunch?'_ The dark brown kitten asked. ' _Forget play time! I need to chow! How's that fish stick coming along, momma?'_

"I'm sure they'll be fine!" Hera reassured him with a grin. She just hoped that these kittens came to them with pre-knowledge on fine-dining and the art of trying to not scratch every Olympian with their little nails.

* * *

It turns out they **never** should have let the kittens enter the dining hall. But since Aphrodite insisted that they do since they practically _cannot let them out of their sight_ , she and Zeus were forced to have the kittens join them.

"Why I oughta—" Dionysus spewed a bunch of profanities at the black-brown kitten who hissed angrily at the wine god as he responded with his own curses, but due to the kitten's size and the adorable look on his face – it just looked like a meaningless fight between man and cat.

"Father, _please_ tell this feline to stop fending off my pork chops!" Artemis exclaimed as the grey kitten took a piece of the pork chop and jumped down the dining table with ease. " _My pork chops_!"

"Gaaah!" Hermes was swatting off the white kitten off his head, but even with the help of George and Martha; the female kitten wouldn't budge. "Cats! Why does it have to be cats?!"

"This is a little more destructive than necessary, Aphrodite." Hestia commented from the female side of the table worriedly. "Are you _sure_ this is supposed to be a part of your marriage methods?"

"Trust me!" Aphrodite said with a wave of her hand as she effortlessly avoided a flying white kitten that could have hit her face-first if she hadn't ducked. Apparently Hermes has succeeded. "As far as the day's gone, Zeus and Hera have actually inhibited trust and cooperation. Err… sort of. I suppose it would wait till' later?"

"Oh, you and your ridiculous methods!" Athena complained as she tried to gently pry off the caramel kitten from her plate. "Are these kittens fed or are they just messing around?"

"Oh, Hermes – how could you?!" Hera exclaimed accusingly as she expertly caught the white kitten before it could hit the ground. Now the white kitten was wailing and thrashing violently.

' _Momma, mean old messenger dude hurt me! Pulverize his balls, momma!'_

"Oh, sweetie," Hera cooed just as Zeus came back from preventing the dark brown kitten from chewing off the strings of Apollo's lyre. Although some of the strings were already broken, so her husband probably saved the lyre way too late. "Zeus, honey, could you take care of her for a while. I have to get the kitten that's arguing with Dionysus before the poor little guy gets turned into a grape."

"You can do that later. I think this one's got a limp... although it wouldn't be the first time I saw it." Zeus showed her the dark-brown kitten and Hera's heart nearly tore itself off her chest. One of the kitten's legs was twisted in a terrible angle.

"What do you mean?" Hera asked as she carefully exchanged kittens with Zeus. She held the dark-brown kitten, careful not to touch his injured leg. "You've seen this limp before?"

"I saw it the minute he came to us in Aphrodite's office. You held them longer. I assumed you knew." Zeus explained as he placed the white kitten on the table. "Hey, no wandering off, you little rascal. You know, you remind me so much of my ADHD daughter. Her name's Hebe…"

"What happened to you, little one?" Hera checked the limp on the kitten's leg. "Oh Styx, that must hurt so much. Maybe we should take you to Apollo—"

At the sound of his name, the god of prophecies rose from his seat in horror – his arms clutching his broken lyre defensively. "No! No more kittens for this god! I'd call in a haiku, but this is too depressing. My poor little lyre… _broken_."

"Apollo!" Artemis pleaded helplessly as she ran after the grey kitten. "Just heal the freaking cat so we can get on with lunch in a cat-free environment."

"Fine." Apollo sighed in defeat as he threw his lyre somewhere behind him. Hera guessed he could just string up or buy a new one. "But I'm getting a new lyre after all this _cat_ astrophe is over."

* * *

 _ **Zeus**_

Hera has been missing for ten hours now. Usually, in mortal terms, you'd have to be missing for a good 24 hours to file a missing person report. In Olympus, as long as Zeus cared about said missing god or goddess – ten hours is long enough to call in a search party.

His wife didn't leave a note. She only told him that she was going out with that dark brown kitten that had a limp, but before he could ask her where – she vanished into thin air. Not a very smart move, even for Hera. While that was the last time he saw her, he had terrible assumptions of what might be taking her so long. The council thought he'd gone mad, thinking that the disappearance of a goddess makes no difference. But this was Hera and she's been kidnapped before, so they told him that while it was mad – it made sense.

Zeus had gotten so desperate that he had to call for the help of his demigod children. Jason Grace had just come back an hour into the late night with his Roman praetors, Reyna and Frank, trailing behind him. Since his son had found Hera before, he assumed that he would this time but when Jason entered the hall of the gods with a look of despair, he knew he was near the state of losing his mind.

"Have you searched San Francisco?" Hestia asked Jason worriedly just as the demigod knelt before his father before addressing the goddess of the hearth.

"I'm really sorry, dad… Lady Vesta." Jason shook his head in dismay as his fellow praetors, Reyna and Frank paled as they bowed their heads. He adjusted his glasses worriedly as he reported to Hestia. "We had all of the best cohort leaders search every area in San Francisco, but even with the numbers, the speed of the transportation provided by Lord Mercury and the ease of finding areas that the mist could cover up – our search was futile."

"Did you at least check the Wolf House where Porphyrion and Gaea held her captive?" Demeter questioned. "Surely if this is a matter of assuming she's been kidnapped again, you would have checked."

"We already searched that!" Artemis announced just as she entered the hall of the gods with her hunters tailing behind her. His daughter Thalia led the pack as the lieutenant. Her immortal glow, though, did not match the mood that she graced upon entering the hall.

Thalia bowed to her father first before addressing Demeter. "We've searched every corner of California, especially the Wolf House – but it would appear that she's neither there nor is she held captive. We also have hunters searching the rest of the states, but until then – it'd be dawn before we could get reports from them."

"Zeus?" Hestia called out to him warmly, but he could hardly feel himself move.

The four kittens that were left with him were sitting on his lap now, meowing and wailing painfully. They were probably aware of Hera's disappearance, whom they had taking a great liking too. But they didn't prove to be reluctant towards him as they grazed and pawed at him helplessly as if to say, _'Where's momma Hera, daddy? We want momma!'_

"What's with the kittens?" Jason asked just as he hugged his sister Thalia in greeting.

Thalia shrugged but she answered, "Some sort of task for The Aphrodite Method they're working on?"

"You mean that horrifying marriage counseling thing?" Jason looked like he was resisting the urge to laugh and when his face morphed into seriousness upon Zeus glaring at him, he cleared his throat.

"For the last time – I didn't do anything!" Aphrodite exclaimed as she argued with Hermes. The love goddess turned towards Zeus pleadingly. "I swear! Kidnapping was never a part of the method. Although I have tried it several times with the other couples – I would never kidnap a goddess. Besides, it's not even the day of the second trial!"

"This method of yours had obviously gone way too far to the point of a goddess going missing. Because of you, my sister is nowhere to be seen and probably dreading herself empty with all your pointless marriage counseling lies!" Demeter spat bitterly. "If you had just—"

"I didn't do it, okay?! I swear by the Styx!" Aphrodite countered, but Hermes and Demeter started rambling on about with her – only to give Zeus a migraine far more painful than that time Athena was banging inside his head.

"Father, I think the best course of action at the moment is to remain open with ideas. We simply cannot assume that she was kidnapped." Athena told her father thoughtfully. "While I'm aware this is a matter of history repeating itself, we might need to consider Hera's actions. She fled Olympus three years ago when we argued with her. There's a possibility that she may have encountered a great discomfort that would have caused her to stay away for so long."

"Romans, have you tried consulting your camp's current Augur and Thalia, with the Oracle of Delphi?" Hestia asked the demigods.

"We did." Reyna, Bellona's daughter, nodded in reply. "However, they haven't foreseen any prophecy that a demigod needs to save a goddess. Even Phoebus Apollo, as our Augur had said, is clueless or has no prophecy to portray the missing state of Lady Juno."

Finally after staying silent for so long, Zeus rose from his seat – causing the kittens to jump onto the throne's arms before he could topple them onto the floor. Arguing continued to ensue between the other gods, and when he searched the faces of the council – he realized that Ares and Hephaestus were nowhere in sight. He tried to assume that they were off searching for Hera, but then he realized he hadn't seen them all day.

"Where is Ares and Hephaestus?" Zeus' voice boomed across the hall, causing all arguments and conversations to cease.

Aphrodite was the first to answer. "Ares is currently in Germany studying new battle strategies."

"And Hephaestus?" Zeus asked as he nodded his chin towards his son's throne.

"I haven't seen him since yesterday." Aphrodite shook her head but blushed after realizing what she just said. "I mean, not that I check on him or anything!"

"Oh, you totally check on him!" Apollo grinned at the love goddess playfully. "I saw you leaving his forges this morning – at a very early hour too, I might add. Hmm, what could the goddess of love possibly have any business _inside_ her husband's forges?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Aphrodite paled.

"Enough!" Zeus was angry now. Terrified and probably losing his mind to the point of wanting to shoot himself with a master bolt for sure, but still angry nonetheless. "No one gets to sleep until Hera has returned. No apartment or home will go unturned in Olympus and in every country in Gaea till' she's found."

"But father, it's extremely late." Athena reasoned. "Perhaps you should rest as we take turns in our search for Lady Hera."

"Listen to your daughter, Zeus." Hestia added as she placed a warm hand on his shoulder. "You need to sleep. Perhaps your dreams would convey where Hera is."

"No!" Zeus' voice thundered as lightning struck from the transparent glass roof from above. "I will not rest until my wife is found. I took her being missing five years ago for granted despite the search party, and I will **not** repeat the same mistake again! And before any of you starts getting the idea of sleeping a wink, I will blast you off the face of the—"

But just before Zeus could continue his threat, the double doors opened to reveal none other than his wife holding a dark-brown kitten.

"Hera!" Hestia and Demeter exclaimed in unison as they ran up to her, but Zeus was faster.

He flashed himself before her and before he could give his wife time to react, he crashed his lips hungrily against hers. Hera returned the kiss but only briefly before pushing him away.

"You're suffocating the kitten, Zeus!" Hera scolded as she knelt to allow the dark-brown kitten to hop off and join his siblings who were now approaching in unisons of little meows. His wife stood up and surveyed the room before asking, "Was there supposed to be an emergency council meeting? I wasn't informed."

"Oh, Hera." Zeus pulled her to him as he pressed his forehead against hers, his hands taking a hold of her cheeks. "Baby, I thought I lost you. What were you thinking?"

"Lost me?" Hera looked confused. "What are you talking about? I've only been gone for hours."

"That's the thing, love." Zeus breathed out heavily as he savored her natural scent – sweet, aromatic flowers with a hint of home. He tripped on his words as tears slowly streamed down his cheeks. "You've been gone for hours I thought something happened to you, especially since you never told me where you were going. I had all of Olympus and nearly half the world searched just looking for you."

"Oh my goodness." This time, Hera blushed as her eyes trained towards the gods, demigods and hunters that were in the hall. Finally, she met his gaze as she started to wipe his tears off and said, "I'm sorry I never told you where I was going. I thought—"

"Don't you ever leave me like that again, baby." Zeus scolded her, but it sounded more vulnerable, more terrified that it hardly sounded like he was angry. He shook his head as he planted a small kiss on her lips. "Please please _please_ don't leave without telling me where you're going. I nearly went mad sending everyone out to find you. They forced me to stay in case anything else happens here but—"

"Hey, hey," Hera told him softly as she placed a finger against his lips. "Stop it, okay? Look at me, Zeus. Look at me. I'm fine, alright? I'm safe. I'm here now. Nobody tried to hurt me. I was fine the whole time Apollo and I visited the vet so the baby kitten's limp would be healed. Now he's all better!"

"Wait, did she say vet?" Zeus heard Aphrodite ask in confusion. "As in a vet for animals?"

"Yes, Aphrodite," Artemis sighed in frustration. "A vet is solely for the use for animals alone."

"It's the stupid cat thing you put up, you sea-foamed bitch!" Demeter snapped, causing a huge ruckus between the two goddesses.

But Zeus ignored them. All that mattered to him now was seeing Hera. It felt like a huge weight was lifted off him, as if he'd just passed the weight of the sky back to Atlas. His wife was home – all safe and sound. No crazy grandmother or hideous giant took her. No more fleeing to places where she was hard to find. To him, every span of his madness was worth it – all for the sake of seeing his love again.

"Come now, Hera. Let's go to bed." Zeus whispered as he pecked her cheek and started carrying her bridal-style.

Hera shrieked in surprise as he carried her in his arms. The queen of the gods blushed furiously before turning to face the other gods who were now staring at them both in awe and surprise. _Zeus carrying his wife like he actually cares! This would be huge on the Olympian Gossip Column tomorrow._ But to hell with what they thought – as long as they're showing off how much he really cares about her, it's fine with him.

"I sincerely apologize for causing such an upset." Hera's firm voice rang throughout the hall despite her embarrassment. "I promise to make those chocolate brownies with sprinkles that you all like for tomorrow in compensation… and reward for trying to find me."

"Aw hell yes!" Hermes pumped his fist in the air.

"Did she say brownies with sprinkles?" Athena's eyes lit up hungrily.

"Ooh, that's worth more than ambrosia and nectar put together!" Artemis grinned delightedly.

"Can we have some of those too?" Jason asked, causing Thalia to bump him with her elbow. The blonde demigod winced in pain as he massaged his damaged area. "Hey, watch it!"

Hera laughed in his arms as she regarded Jason and Thalia. "You'll have more than you can eat tomorrow. For now, you and your friends can stay in the pantheon's guest rooms. I'm sure you're all very tired and you deserve some rest."

Jason and Thalia gaped at her, but it was Thalia who first found her voice. "Umm… thank you, er, Lady Hera."

Zeus looked at her in surprise, the other gods following suit. His wife was actually being nice to his children. _She was being nice._ Oh, praise the fates there was at least a hint of progress in this whole Aphrodite Method madness. A large grin graced his lips as he kissed the top of his wife's head and carried her all the way back to their room, the five little kittens tailing behind them as they meowed in joy.

"Oh, Hera." Zeus chuckled as he kicked the door of their room open with his foot. "You careless little minx. You deserve to be punished for leaving without telling me where you'd go."

"Is that so?" Hera challenged just as he threw her playfully onto their bed, causing his wife to yelp and giggle at the same time. Zeus crawled up to her just as the little kittens pushed the door close with their little paws. How they were able to do that without the help of a stronger being, he had no idea. But he paid them no mind as he captured his wife's lips with his own.

He sought entrance as he felt himself melt into the kiss, and when Hera granted him access – a flurry of emotions got the best of him. His hands caressed her cheek and her neck; his lips peppered kisses down to her neck where he sucked at the flesh of her skin. The more he insinuated such intimate gestures, the more his wife squirmed readily under him.

"Zeus." Hera moaned as she wound her fingers through his raven locks, and he felt her body shiver under him as he began to slip the slit of her dress up her thighs teasingly. "The kittens… they're going to…"

"Let them hear you, baby." Zeus returned with the same feral need in his voice as he hiked her dress up to her abdomen, his hand roaming just where Hera wanted – causing his wife's body to jolt in delight. "Unless you made their little tents soundproof?"

But before Hera could reply, a surprised moan escaped her lips – and from the corner of his eye, he caught the sight of the kittens meowing in panic as they all ran for their separate little mansion-like tents. From the sound of their need to get out of the scene, it almost sounded like they were saying, _'Retreat! Aw man, eww! We don't wanna hear it! TMI! TMI!'_

Once all the kittens were settled in their little mansions, their paws shutting the mansion gates with light thuds – he went back to staring at his wife; all beautiful and wavering under his touch.

Hera pulled him down for a kiss, and when they pulled away; she whispered to him words he had been longing to hear all this time, "I love you, my eagle."

Zeus chuckled before kissing the tip of his wife's nose. "I love you too, my peacock."

And then they were lost in the throes of passion – with the occasional whining of the kittens in their little abodes. Ah, poor kitties.

* * *

 **AN:** Ah, poor kitties _indeed._ Shame on these two for having sex in the room without even checking if the kittens' little mansions were soundproof. Haha! Anyway, thank you so much for reading this chapter. I am still open for suggestions for the daily tasks (since there'll be a lot), so feel free to send them in! **Please comment/review** your thoughts on this chapter, and tell me your theories about these kittens. Thank you so much, and stay tuned! –EMPG22HoPe

 **What is your updating schedule?  
Answer: **I usually update 2-3 days after the new chapter is posted. Sometimes it may go as long as five days, depending on the thickness of the modules I have to work on for my home study college program weekly.

 **How do you envision the characters in your story?  
Answer: **I actually have a very specific cast for the characters in this story. But right now, I want the readers to bank on the illustrations from the book _Percy Jackson's Greek Gods_. Just imagine Hera with brown hair instead of black, Zeus a little shaven on the beard (and by shaven, I mean kind of like Poseidon-beard shaven), Hephaestus not having that whole "looks like he's always leaning to the side" and Hades having short-cropped black hair instead of that brooding long one. There is, really sadly, no illustration of Amphitrite so just imagine Amber Heard or some pretty black-haired Victoria's Secret model cartoonized/illustrationized (not words but you get what I mean) like the other godly illustrations.

 **This fanfiction story may also be found on Wattpad under my username** _ **MDSummers.**_


	12. Chapter 12: The Cruel Truth

**The Aphrodite Method**

 **AN:** Heads up because this will be an Aphrodite-centric chapter. I really want to pursue her storyline really soon because despite our focus on the couples, we _totally_ need to fix Aphrodite and her priorities as the goddess of love. You'll understand what I mean as soon as you start reading this chapter. I hope it will shed some light to what you think would happen to the goddess of love in the future. My apologies for the extremely overdue update, but I had some troubles with my college modules. But rest assured that the first week of August will be a lot less hectic before the climax of the next month, so expect an update real soon. Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 12**

 _ **Aphrodite**_

To say that the goddess of love is bothered was an understatement. She was more than just bothered. There was this growing pain in her chest, a pain so alien to her it hadn't occurred to her that she'd feel it anyway. It felt like her whole self – her _purpose_ was lost the minute she woke up from the dream. To sum it all up, she was _agitated_.

The Fates have visited her in her dreams. Now, if you're a god and you get dreams from the three haggard women themselves – it's not exactly good news. They hold the fate of everyone, including the fate of the gods. The most important thing that they hold, above all, is the gods' thread of life. And last night, the fates told her that hers was starting to fade.

Now what exactly is the _thread of life_? It was a pretty stupid thing to call it that way as Aphrodite thought in her head, but it was an ominous case when mentioned on oaths or, well, when _oathed_ upon (should the word decide to exist). It's that one string that everyone has. Mortals have it, animals have it, mythological creatures and monsters have it and of course, the Greek gods have it. While the mortals, animals and mythological creatures and monsters' thread of life can be snipped to end their lives – a god's thread of life can _fade_ to end **their** lives. And how do gods fade? They simply begin to lose their purpose – which honestly did not make sense to Aphrodite; so she called upon the very force of love other than herself: Eros.

Aphrodite paced worriedly around her room, sipping on chamomile tea every once in a while in the hopes that it would soothe her agitation – but it didn't do its magic. The goddess has woken up from her dream at six in the morning, an ungodly hour in more ways than one; but when she contacted her son, she felt more than blessed to hear that he'd be visiting her shortly.

The double doors of her bedroom opened to reveal Eros. He looked absolutely disoriented, as any god should once they decide to wake up or have been woken up at an early hour. His shoulder-length black hair was in tangles and his snowy white wings from behind looked like they're breathing on their own tired little way. Instead of her son's usual white frock and jeans, he was wearing pajamas that matched the color of the sea. Thank the heavens his bow and arrow weren't with him. Those things terrified her.

"You must have a very _very_ explainable reason as to why I've been dragged here, mother." Eros said rather harshly as he shut the doors behind him with a wave of his hand.

Aphrodite frowned at him as she placed her cup of tea on her lacquer desk. "Show some respect for your mother, Eros. And tell Ares to stop forcing you to train with Phobos and Deimos. It hasn't been doing you well."

"It beats having to rampage through your halls like a lovesick puppy." Eros shrugged, walked over to his mother to give her a peck on the cheek and took a seat on one of the lounge chairs. "Honestly, mother, I'm not a child anymore. But enough about me. You sounded really agitated over the phone. What's going on?"

Aphrodite was hesitant at first, but if it concerned the fate of her thread of life – she needed to let her son know. The goddess sat beside her son on the chair and began telling him – and once she mentioned about her thread of life fading, he began to frown. The second she finished, Eros breathed out heavily.

"That's more than what I expected. I thought for sure you were having troubles with your hairbrush." Eros shook his head as he eyed his mother. "I knew this day would come."

"So you know what they're talking about?" Aphrodite asked hopefully.

Eros sighed as he ran a hand through his disheveled hair. "Mother, the whole situation is clearly obvious. You haven't found your mate yet."

Aphrodite's heart sank briefly, but soon her heart floated back up, enraged. See, there was this custom of _mating_ where she and her son take note immediately of who belongs to who in love – in other words, they conducted the whole _soul mate_ idea that the mortals started to come up with. Soul mate sounded way too technical and they had no idea how they came up with that when it was merely just called a _mate_. But to humor the mortals, they let them be. But when the gods say _mate_ – it was a really distinctive and serious word. And if she and her son were not merciful enough to their enemies, they'd eliminate their _mate system_. So they either die loveless – romantic-wise – or they live immortally and is doomed to never find true love.

So what's all the fuss? Well, when your son tells you that you haven't found your _mate_ yet – your one true love – well, that can be pretty depressing. Especially since you _know_ that you did, but then you suddenly didn't. Because as much as she and her son worked together on the mating system, Eros was much more knowledgeable. He knew who was meant for who more than Aphrodite herself. In fact, Eros could have told her who her mate was right now… except that would be breaking the law of the three fates and the law of love in its own natural state.

"It's ironic, isn't it?" Eros finally asked her after the long silence. "The goddess of love unaware of who her true _mate_ is."

Tears began to stream down Aphrodite's cheeks, but they weren't in pity for herself. They were in anger – pure, unadulterated anger towards herself, the fates and her son. It wasn't fair. Surely, she had time? Surely she's met her mate at _some_ point but overlooked him? But no matter how hard Aphrodite begged for her son to just tell her, she's left with nothing but looks of disapproval and shame.

"Are you sure it's not your father?!" Aphrodite exclaimed this time, startling her son in the slightest. "Silena Bauregard's father? Piper McLean's? Or how about Adonis? _Nothing_?"

"You know I can't tell you." Eros frowned at her, but his blood-red eyes looked apologetic. "I want to, okay, mom? I _really_ _ **really**_ do. I want to help you get through this in more ways than one, but you have to understand that your mate… it's not dad. It's not one of your demigod children's fathers."

"Then who?" Aphrodite choked as she hid her face in her hands in shame. "I am the goddess of love and yet I am cursed to the anonymity of my mate… my one true love."

"How much time do you have?" Eros asked worriedly. "Did they show you your thread of life?"

"Don't speak nonsense, Eros – you know they never show you your thread of life unless it's really necessary." Aphrodite said as she sniffed. "But based on their grave voices and the way they told me that I'm fading… that I'm losing my purpose? You'd know it's almost the end."

"Snap out of it, mom!" Eros suddenly yelled which caused the love goddess to look up in surprise. Her son shook her body by taking a hold of her shoulders as he says, "You snap out of it _right now_ , okay? You are Aphrodite and you are capable of love. **Everyone** is capable of love. By Hades, even Zeus himself is. We both knew that when we realized Hera was his mate. But this is no time to play your pity party. You need to get out there and find your mate before it's too late. I know I can't be of much help but… you have to open yourself to every single possibility. Rid your mind of how this would tarnish your reputation and just _look_ for him."

"But Eros…" Aphrodite trailed off as tears continued to stream down her cheeks. "What if… what if I really _don't_ have a mate? What if this is the flaw of being the goddess of love? To never find one's mate and watch every other find theirs?"

"Mom, I've told you a thousand times already." Eros raised his hands to wipe the tears off his mother's cheeks. "Your mate _does_ exist. He's _very_ much alive right now. You just need to look for him... and open your heart to the possibility of love."

"And if I can't find him in time?" Aphrodite questioned worriedly. "If I can't… If I can't love him enough before my thread of life _truly_ fades?"

Eros shook his head as he then squeezed his mother's hands. "Then by Hades mother, I'd say we're all doomed – for you are certainly _not_ the goddess of love."

And that's what she feared the most.

* * *

The couples arrived no later than ten in the morning. Aphrodite spent the rest of her morning going over every bachelor god (and even the married ones) just to see if she's met any of them or even has the slightest of interest in them. Eros did say her mate was _very much alive._ But no matter how much she searched, she couldn't help but grimace in disdain. How was she to find her true love within the year or whatever deadline the fates haven't told her? It was starting to look like a hopeless cause.

Kittens meowed as they trailed behind their parents, all active and jumpy as they had been yesterday. Although Zeus and Hera's kittens… they looked more traumatized than Eros walking in on Ares naked. And that hadn't been the prettiest encounter between father and son.

"Good _morning_ , Aphrodite!" Persephone giggled joyously, which caused the goddess of love to look up from her work to arch a surprised brow at her. "Whatcha workin' on?"

"Is your wife okay?" Amphitrite asked Hades as she waved a hand before the overly joyous, but mostly dazed-looking queen of the underworld. "Unless this is Aphrodite's fault?"

Before Aphrodite could complain, Hades answered as he dragged Persephone and their black kitten to a love seat, "She's just giddy. She _really_ had fun with that kitten last night. Cerberus… er, not so much. He rampaged the line for Asphodel and I am telling you, it was not an easy thing to clean up. Do you have any idea how many complaints I had? Thank the gods for Charon otherwise I'd have to do all the dirty work."

"You think _that's_ depressing?" Poseidon huffed as he carried a small tank filled with water to the brim. The four kittens they had swam enthusiastically, swishing their little mer-kitten tails. "You haven't seen nymphs trying to steal these little rascals."

"And the Cyclops, ooh!" Amphitrite wrinkled her nose. "That Tyson of yours nearly sucked the life out of these kittens. Poor things."

"Please, have you heard of _our_ kittens rampaging through the dining hall like the little fur balls they are?" Zeus rolled his eyes as if the other couples' story was child's play. "I had to incorporate pork chops for a _week_ because Artemis insisted. I don't even _like_ pork chops."

One of Zeus and Hera's kittens, the grey one in particular, hissed at Zeus – as if to tell him that pork chops aren't so bad, you big oaf.

"Oh, what I heard was the sound of the kittens' despair last night." Aphrodite smiled evilly, the first smile she's graced all morning. Since she watched the progress of the couples through her crystal ball, she knew what had happened between Zeus and Hera. "How very romantic, although I'm afraid traumatizing."

Hera blushed as she smacked her husband's arm. "I told you they'd hear!"

"Hey," Zeus complained as he and the black-brown kitten soothed his arm. "It's not my fault you screamed so loud that all of New York woke on its hind legs. Although, I didn't mind that _at all_. I just _love_ making you scream for me, baby."

"TMI, you two. TMI!" Poseidon waved his hands as he fake-gagged.

"Dad, that's disgusting!" Persephone wretched as she scooted closer to Hades. "Can't we keep this marriage counseling at a PG-rating for the kittens' sake?"

As if in responsive agreement, all the kittens meowed in unison.

"Well, they weren't very PG last night." Aphrodite shrugged as she shut the notebook she'd been writing on about the bachelor and married gods. Perhaps finding her mate at this moment would have to wait. "And I doubt they will be for the next few nights. But that's another matter we can talk about soon. Now, I suppose you're wondering if you can keep the kittens."

"Oh, can we?!" The wives asked in unison, squirming excitedly on their seats.

"No!" The husbands replied in unison as well, causing all the kittens to hiss at them.

"Well," Aphrodite laughed as she rose from her seat and leaned forward to eye the couples. "I don't really have a say in it. After all, they _are_ your children."

Hades frowned. "What are you talking about?"

With a snap of Aphrodite's fingers, the once nine fuzzy little Siberian kittens grew out of their little bodies and turned into gods. And by gods, she meant _real_ gods. Not kitten gods. Since Zeus and Hera were holding their kittens on their laps, they found themselves mounded over by their children – so either had their children sitting on their laps or have fallen off due to the weight. Poseidon and Amphitrite's, on the other hand, broke the small water tank – causing a lot of water to drench her carpet. She'd have to have nymphs clean up all the glass later. Persephone and Hades were probably the luckiest, because their one black kitten who was now a full-grown goddess who sat between the couple – grinning triumphantly.

"Aw hell no!" Ares complained as he scrambled off of Zeus's lap. "I have had it up to _this_ in the kitten form. It's bad enough I have to listen to them have sex all night!"

Hebe who had also scrambled off but from Hera's lap, sat on the carpeted floor and was rocking her body back and forth with wide, traumatized eyes as she muttered, "Think of your happy place. Happy place, happy place…"

"Seriously, who has five orgasms in one night?" Eris questioned as she rose from the floor, dusting off her red toga.

"Eris!" Eileithyia complained as she ran up to Hebe to help the goddess up. "Hebe's been traumatized and the last thing she needs right now is a trigger."

"Happy place!" Hebe laughed maniacally, but there was no humor in it as she was carefully lifted up by Eileithyia. "Happy place?"

"Yes, think of your happy place. Think of Heracles and your twins." Eileithyia soothed.

"I don't know which was worst." Hephaestus grumbled as Eris helped him up. "Having my limp fixed or hearing them _get it on_ all night."

On Poseidon and Amphitrite's side, their children weren't having so much fun.

"Get off me, Triton!" Kymopoleia complained as she tried to shove her brother off of her before turning to look at her parents. "Oh hey, you two! Gee, I sure am glad you sent us to a different room. Although my sensitive ears could still hear the resounding moans."

"Ugh, I broke a nail!" Rhode exclaimed as she tried to untangle herself from Benthesikyme. "Benthe, you owe me! The sea nymphs took _days_ to work on this perfect manicure!"

"You owe _me_ for ruining my hair, Rhode!" Benthesikyme spat back as she finally separated from her sister, fluffing her raven locks worriedly. "Oh my gods, is that cat hair on my strands?"

"Oh shut up, you two." Triton yelled at his sisters, still not getting off of Kymopoleia.

"Oh, don't make me send a storm after you, Triton!" Kymopoleia said as she pounded on the carpet.

Hades and Persephone were more than lucky to have just one kid, because Melinoe just sat quietly and awkwardly between her parents. Well, until she opened her mouth.

"So, you treat a kitten like it's your own favorite daughter," Melinoe started with a frown. "But wow, when it's little Melinoe – it doesn't matter. Just the bringer of all chaos, right? Nico and Bianca di Angelo were so much better, weren't they?"

Hades groaned as he rubbed his temples in frustration. "Melinoe, can we not talk about…"

"Holy us!" Hera exclaimed as she stared at her children incredulously before shifting her surprised gaze towards Aphrodite. "So they _were_ our children! I had a feeling they were. Now, which one of you was the bonafide Samuel L. Jackson yesterday? I'm gonna give you a head thump so hard you'll sleep sitting up!"

"It was Hephaestus!" Ares pointed at his brother, causing the other god to frown.

"You're the one who called Zeus a stupid oaf and argued with Dionysus like a parasite." Hephaestus fired back.

"Wait, _they_ heard us last night?" Zeus looked absolutely pale now as he eyed his wife. Perhaps it had been okay to him if they were simply kittens who had the misfortune of hearing their "love-making" last night, but as soon as he saw that they weren't _just_ kittens – he looked just about ready to faint. "Oh, this _is_ awkward."

"Thanks a lot, dad." Eris huffed indignantly as she shivered disgustedly. "I still have nightmares about it."

"Can we go now?" Eileithyia asked before glaring at her parents. "I think Hebe's gone in way too deep. She's going to need a lot of therapy... and ear plugs."

"Therapy…" Hebe echoed. "Ear plugs…"

"At least we sent them to another room last night." Amphitrite shrugged before glaring at her children. "Stop it, all of you! I swear by the seas of the deep if you don't stop bickering like a bunch of buffoons _right_ now, I'm grounding all of you. Don't make me go as far as taking away your sea kelp shake privileges!"

"No sea kelp shakes? Retreat!" Triton gasped in horror followed by his sisters before they all started lining up, cross-legged on the floor facing their parents.

"My nails." Rhode pouted, and Aphrodite almost felt sorry for her.

"You know how _thin_ the walls are?" Kymopoleia asked with a sly grin. "So even though you sent us to the room _riiiight_ next to yours, we could still hear."

"Oh, enough about it Kymopoleia!" Benthesikyme complained, her cheeks turning as red as tomatoes.

Melinoe rolled her eyes at her cousins. "Honestly, the things that run in the family. Thank the gods I'm an only child… oh, _wait_ – I'm **not**."

"Yes, yes, you can all go now. I'd like to have a word with your parents." Aphrodite said with a wave of her hand, tired of hearing all the bickering between the children. "Thank you for your patience and cooperation, dears. Your gift baskets will be sent momentarily."

"Now _that_ is worth turning a kitten for!" Ares grinned triumphantly as he rose, followed by his siblings and cousins. The war god walked over to Aphrodite and gave her a heart-stopping kiss on the lips before winking at her. "See you later, babe."

Hephaestus rolled his eyes at the scene as he escorted his sisters out of the room. Aphrodite bit her bottom lip in guilt as she watched the group leave the room.

"I'll see you later!" Eileithyia seemed to be the only enthusiastic one despite her sister's condition, because she planted kisses on her parents' cheek. "And mom, lose the screams a bit okay? You enjoy too much."

"Eileithyia!" Hera blushed furiously, causing Zeus to chuckle.

"Well, better alive knowing that your parents are fine than to hear them do it in the same room." Kymopoleia dusted off her sea green toga before linking her arms with her sisters. "Come on, you guys. Sea kelp shakes on me."

Triton gave his mother a peck on the cheek, followed by an awkward hug with his father before strolling out to follow his cousins. The goddesses, on the other hand, were a lot more affectionate towards their father because they were kissing him all over his face that once they left – Poseidon was in a daze.

Melinoe simply stood, bid her parents goodbye before trotting after her cousins – at last, shutting the double doors to leave the adults alone.

"That's a very smart move, Aphrodite." Hades shook his head. "Plain traumatizing, but smart."

"I still don't get why you've chosen to use our children." Poseidon crossed his arms on his chest. "Was your rating on this task based on parenting or the _trust_ and _cooperation_ as you promised?"

"I did say trust and cooperation, didn't I?" Aphrodite smiled solemnly at the couples. "By using your children as the kittens, not only did you gain trust and cooperation as a couple by taking care of them – but you also inhibited a certain relationship with your children. After all, they _are_ the glue to your romance. They wouldn't have been produced if you weren't so in love with each other."

"Well, our daughter didn't seem like a very good example of the product of our love." Persephone sighed sadly as she looked at Hades. "Did we really neglect her so badly?"

"She did nothing but cause trouble, 'Seph." Hades took her hand in his. "We had no choice."

"You _did_ have a choice." Hera answered for the couple with a frown. "However, you've chosen to neglect her by letting her do as she pleases. That is _not_ how you treat your child. While I may sound like a hypocritical mother considering how I've thrown Hephaestus off the mount, at least I've had the decency to make up with him. You, on the other hand, have spent years leaving your daughter in the shadows."

"As much as I hate to agree with Hera, she's right." Aphrodite nodded as she eyed the king and queen of the underworld. "Children are a fickle. I would know, for I've had many. I gave this task to all of you because your _glue_ would help strengthen the romance, hell, maybe even fix the marriage itself. So unless you haven't had your fix with Melinoe, then the reconstruct of your romance will be all for naught."

"What about Eris and Kymopoleia?" Hades asked in defense. "Aren't they just as unstable as Melinoe?"

"Kymopoleia had her moments." Amphitrite nodded as she laced her fingers with Poseidon's. "But that doesn't mean that we're not fixing our relationship with her. She… well, she needs help and we're giving that help as best as we can."

"Eris is improving, to say the least." Zeus shrugged as he leaned back. "She still causes chaos because frankly, that's her job. But it's not as bad as the first few stages when she was a child."

"Oh, my little Eris." Hera shook her head sadly, leaning her head against her husband's shoulders. "If I had just…"

"Hey, don't blame yourself." Zeus cooed at his wife, wrapping a strong arm around her.

"There will be more days in dealing with unstable children. But you still need to find a way to connect with them. I may not be the goddess of children, but I've learned a long time that without them – some marriages tend to fall apart faster than those who have." Aphrodite pursed her lips, almost thinking to herself of how the situation might apply to her. "But alas, we will dive into that kind of relationship later in the method. For now, we must discuss your daily task. In your rooms, I have sent truth serums that you must drink together at exactly eight in the evening. These truth serums will trigger whatever secret you've kept from your spouse for so long, and you are forced to deliberately tell them the truth."

"A truth serum?" Persephone's voice wavered. "What… what kind of secret?"

"The very secret that inhibits the process of the Aphrodite Method." Aphrodite explained gravely. "All of you still find this method difficult to ascend to, merely because you think it will never work. And now, with the use of these serums, you will find out the meaning behind your spouse's reluctance to go on with your relationship."

"That's cruel." Hera said in a small voice, her eyes as wide as saucers. "How is that supposed to help us?"

"Once you find out, you must accept the judgment passed. This, truly, tests the strength of your trust towards each other." Aphrodite said. "If, at some point, you still find it unacceptable before the strike of midnight, there will be consequences. And no, this type of consequence does _not_ involve your materials."

Aphrodite hated the way she sounded so grave. It was possibly because she was still worried for her own life. It's not every day you get to find out that you're at the brink of extinction. Somehow, the whole situation just made the goddess of love bitter towards the happy couples – which is, uncharacteristically, unlike her.

"And if we still can't for the rest of the days?" Poseidon asked; worry setting off the natural glow on his features. "If we can't… forgive each other?"

"Isn't that why you're taking the Aphrodite Method?" Aphrodite smiled sadly as she looked at her window to see the view from up her little mount. How long before she truly fades? "Consider yourselves lucky that you've found your mates. It's a cruel world to live in, immortally so, if you haven't or can't find that special someone."

"Aphrodite, you're speaking out of the topic." Zeus's words snapped her out of her reverie.

The goddess of love gave the couples a bitter smile, hoping it would keep them from drawing any further questions. "That'll be all for now. Have a lovely day, and please – drink the serum. I am doing you all a favor far greater than what most can offer."

While the couples were reluctant to go, probably in the need to have their questions answered, they went away. Aphrodite could read the fear in their eyes, as it should be. She knew the secrets that hindered the couples from improving their relationships. She already knew them beforehand and the only way to prove their strength as a couple was to spew the worst kind of secret. Had she done it out of bitterness? Perhaps. Was it truly a part of the Aphrodite Method? Definitely so. But was it still out of bitterness… out of spite towards her condition? Most definitely so.

And as the doors of her room came to a close, her entire body lurched weakly as tears have proven to defeat her strong front once more. For truly, what mate would love a cruel and selfish woman as her? It would appear that in time, it just might be too late.

* * *

 **AN:** I hope I'm giving Aphrodite's character justice here. While she's a goddess who's all giddy and up-beat on the outside, all the happiest people are usually so broken on the inside. Next chapter features Hades and Persephone. You will all find out the secrets of the other couples during the second trial, but for the next update – I'll be shedding some light into the king and queen of the underworld. **Please comment/review** your thoughts on this particular chapter! I would love to know what you think, and thank you for reading. –EMPG22HoPe

 **PS.** For those confused about Zeus and Hera's children. According to Uncle Rick Riordan, they have five (Ares, Hephaestus, Hebe, Enyo, Eileithyia) but according to Wikipedia – they have six and the sixth child happens to be Eris. Another source (in Zeus's Wikipedia) shows all six but instead of Enyo, there's a new daughter called "Angelos". Usually I'd go with Uncle Rick, but since I'm a firm reader of Greek mythology, I've decided to choose Eris instead of Enyo since _Homer_ equated Enyo with Eris – so really, they're kind of the same. And I will not be including Angelos since there's only ever one myth about her and is only confirmed by one source (and that's usually a non-legitimate number in terms of sourcing out Greek myth). Why the Greeks just couldn't decide on how many children (or which children) these two had, I have no idea.

Also, I made sure that Hades and Persephone only had _one_ child. While there are sources that say Melinoe and Zagreus are their children, far too many sources point out that Zagreus is the child of Zeus and Persephone (which is disgusting, by the way) – so to save the trouble of having to include that type of myth, let's pretend that _never_ happened in PJO/HOO, as Uncle Rick totally never made that happen cause that's just incest in the highest order. There's also mentions of Hades having another daughter named Macaria, but I didn't include that since there is no source that says she could possibly be Persephone's child.

 **This fanfiction can also be found on** _ **Wattpad**_ **under my username** _ **MDSummers.**_


	13. Chapter 13: Our Revelations (H-P)

**The Aphrodite Method**

 **AN:** I must admit I had my struggles with this particular chapter. I'm not exactly a big fan of Hades and Persephone, but I'm not saying I don't ship them. I do – it's just that there's _so_ many retellings/stories about them that I really thought making a chapter for them felt a little overbearing. But since I wanted to harness fairness among the three couples, I've obligated myself to write this up. It may not be the best since, frankly, I don't write fanfics about them. But I hope I've at least done a few accurate notes on these two. Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 13  
**

 _ **Hades**_

The lord of the underworld found himself wandering the halls of his obsidian palace alone. His wife had gone out to look for Melinoe. But considering their daughter's recent endeavors as the goddess of _ghosts_ – well, finding her would be more difficult than finding Thanatos (who is always away, being the Grim Reaper of the world and all). And so, he walks.

Aphrodite's task for this day has proven to be more challenging and frankly, more appalling than the ones she'd made him and the other couples do. While her methods were effective, they weren't exactly subtle. Well, they were subtle the first few daily tasks and now – it just felt like some game that he needed to play. In this case, a game of mental insanity.

Above all things, Hades was scared for his life. Not because his wife might turn bitch-out crazy like Hera would, but because his wife might not look at him the same way again. He already knew the deepest secret he had kept from Persephone, and no doubt that truth serum would substantially aid him into telling her.

His frustrations piled up inside him, nearly taking over his entire being as his vision blurred. No. He couldn't do it. He just couldn't tell Persephone. It would break her heart. It would tear her down with extreme malice. It would destroy the very fabric of her being. It would, just as well, kill him, if she found out. At these thoughts, he caught himself sitting atop his throne – his fingers massaging his temples in the hopes of relieving his stress but to no avail.

"What troubles you, child?" A familiar voice echoed.

Hades looked up from his drowned state to find his mother, Rhea, standing before him. His mother wore an elegant violet toga. Her black hair fell in lovely ringlets around her shoulders. Her features and warm smile was tamer than either Hera or Hestia – but there was no mistaking the resemblance. For the first time since that day, he was actually quite happy.

"Mother," He sighed in relief as he stood to wrap his arms affectionately around her. "What brings you to my humble abode?"

"Oh, Hades, your politeness never fails to amaze me." Rhea laughed, and it sounded a lot like little bells tinkling. His mother had that kind of effect on people. She pulled away from him before examining him with cautious eyes. "You grow more handsome by the second, my son. A little pale, but handsome nonetheless. How are you doing?"

"I'm as well as I should be, mother." Hades answered, although there was a white lie to that. He tried not to let it show, so he graced a light smile. "Yourself?"

"Don't mind your old, withering mother. Oh, who am I kidding? I'm a knockout!" Rhea shook her head with a giggle as she placed her hands on her son's cheeks. "But if you insist, I'm doing just as well. I just came back from Italy and my goodness, that awful Pisa tower they call is most unfortunate among other monuments. Oh, but enough about me! I'm pretty sure I came here for a reason. Walk with me, dear."

Hades obliged, offering an arm to his mother which the Titaness took. They went into the west wing where the dining hall and kitchen was, but if they go further – they just might reach Persephone's garden. This, in turn, is the last place he wanted to be at right now. All thoughts of Persephone needed to be void, otherwise he'd break down.

"So, all of Olympus is buzzing." Rhea started, which made Hades flinch. "What? You think your old mother doesn't read that Olympian Gossip Blog my grandson Hermes put up? I'm not exactly clueless."

Rhea lived in Mount Olympus in her own little palace as much as the other Titans do who sided with the Olympians during the first Titanomachy. However, the Titan number has seemingly seemingly reduced during the second Titanomachy (the Battle at Manhattan) due to the false pretense of the Titans succeeding. His mother, as always, supported her children. She had been a spy at Mount Orthys during the Battle at Manhattan, faking her "join" with her fellow Titans – though nobody mentions it that much. It was his mother that aided the Roman demigods into battle at Mount Orthys to destroy the "new home" of the Titans.

"What is your concern, mother?" Hades asked nervously.

Rhea grimaced at him. "My concern is graced upon this _Aphrodite Method_ that sea-foamed goddess created. And much to my, and everyone's surprise, the main victims are you and your brothers."

Oh no. He knew this day would come.

"I mean, I understand the whole _Big Three Oath_ that your, forgive me, nincompoop brothers had broken." Rhea went on as she dragged him towards Persephone's garden. "But marriage counseling from the goddess of love? Is this some sort of joke? Who takes _counseling_ from Aphrodite?"

"Apparently everyone who's desperate enough to want to fix their marriage." Hades muttered, but he doubted his mother didn't hear him. "We've been told that it's full-proof. Honestly, mother, as far as I'm concerned – 'Seph and I shouldn't even be doing this in the first place. I had the demigod children _before_ the pact."

"Well, I think it's a bunch of bullocks." Rhea huffed disdainfully before she looked at him apologetically. "Sorry. I spent twenty years living in England. Those Brits know how to curse in the most polite way possible."

That he didn't know. "But you see my point, right, mother? It's not fair."

Rhea sighed as she walked over to a Pomegranate tree. "Well, as much as I think that this _Aphrodite Method_ everyone's been gushing about is nothing but a cheap way to fix marriages – I think it's only fair you and Persephone join. After all, what did those creepy fates say? _It concerns the fate of the world as we know it_. You _did_ hurt her, sweetie."

Hades looked down at his suit guiltily. "I didn't mean to."

"Is that so?" Rhea shot him a menacing frown. "You and your brothers. I just don't get it. Your father, albeit a bastard, never cheated on me. Well, he did once with that Oceanid Philyra. _I_ never cheated on him. I still don't understand where the genes came from."

"It can get quite lonely sometimes, mother." Hades admitted, which was true. Every time Persephone was away, he had urges. Not as bad as Poseidon and Zeus, but urges, nonetheless. Persephone didn't take it lightly, but she eventually moved on. Although after she found out about Maria di Angelo… "I've made my mistakes, and I certainly do not condone cheating. You know I am regretful of my actions."

"Are you?" Rhea asked suspiciously as she cupped her son's jaw and forced him to look at her. "What about that little Italian darling of yours? Maria di Angelo, is it? Do you sincerely regret being with her?"

Hades forced himself to look away as he stared at a lone dandelion in a field of dark roses. "Of all the women, mother, it is she I can never regret… nor can I forget."

He heard his mother sigh, and when he turned to look at her – there was a forlorn shade in her eyes. It was an almost sad one, which was a rarity to see from her.

"I cannot blame you." Rhea said as she traced a Pomegranate from its branch. "Love is a strange… strange thing, my child. It will consume you and it'll be your job to control whether or not it should consume you in a good way or a bad way. Your love for Maria… it is a good kind of consumption. However, in the process of loving her, there is someone out there who's hurting. So, in a way, it's a fairly neutral consumption."

"Your point being, mother?" Hades asked in frustration.

"My point?" Rhea laughed as she met her son's gaze. "My point is – love is sincerely vicious. You might think it's beautiful on the first try, but it'll later drown you if you don't make the right decisions. As far as I'm concerned, you're drowning, my child. You're drowning because your secret… the one that requires that truth serum… is a most unforgivable secret. And once that secret is out… you might as well be dead."

Hades hadn't realized he was holding his breath. "I thought for sure you'd shed some positive light into this, mother. Now you sound as grave as Aphrodite when she gave this gods forsaken task. And how sure are you of the kind of secret that I might spew?"

Rhea smiled at him sweetly, so motherly that it made the sides of his lips rise infectiously. "I know your secret because I've been watching you do it. But maybe it's just me. Should you decide… or should the truth serum _force_ you to express that particular secret – the one that involves _death_ – I implore you to leave your wife be."

Now he was confused. "But Aphrodite said we have to accept the judgment otherwise there'll be consequences."

"To Tartarus with consequences!" Rhea exclaimed, but it didn't sound as scary as he'd expected it to be. "What is more important? _The comfort_ of letting your wife believe that you're giving her time to adjust or _the need_ to force her to accept that judgment in fear of _consequence_?"

Hades frowned as he answered obviously, "The comfort of having her adjust, of course."

Rhea sighed in satisfaction, gracing an angelic smile towards him. "I sincerely hope Zeus and Poseidon answers the same thing should I decide to ask them the very same question. You love Persephone more than anything, don't you?"

"I do." Hades nodded eagerly. By the gods, his Persephone was his world. Immortal life would be dull without her. "More than all the riches in the world, literally. Mother, you saw what happened to me in the early days. I was a weak god. I lost all sense of thought just thinking about her. I think I've had that love struck worse than Zeus and Poseidon put together when they pursued Hera and Amphitrite."

"Well, she is your _mate_. Yes, I know what _mate_ means. Don't look at your mother like she hasn't been getting in with the times." Rhea nodded as she slipped her hand away from his arm before dusting off her elegant toga. "And I think Zeus took his courting with Hera far more coolly than you and Poseidon… and he's the _youngest_. But you must see my point, Hades. No matter what Aphrodite warns, give Persephone time to adjust. I am no expert in the field of romance, but I know wives and women – and these sort of things, they take time."

Hades shook his head as he ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "I don't want to hurt her any more than she already is, mother."

"Then don't." Rhea replied simply, crossing her arms on her chest. "Give her time after the truth serum does its magic. You are far gentler, and I trust that you love her very much. Heed my advice, my son. It's the very least that you could do at this point in this ridiculous method of Aphrodite's."

"I'm… I'm scared." Hades admitted. _Finally_ admitted, that is. Not everyone saw the rawness in his vulnerability and frankly the only people who ever did were his mother, Persephone and, well, Maria. Everyone else thinks he's as heartless as an iron sword. "I don't… I don't think I can forgive myself if I hurt her again."

"Then you must stop hurting her." Rhea heeded as she caressed his cheek tenderly. "And above all, you must forgive yourself – because if no one can, then who will, hmm?"

Before he could say more, or reach for his mother's hand – he felt the cold rush of the underworld wind. When he looked up, mother Rhea was gone.

* * *

Persephone came back to the underworld that evening, towing their daughter Melinoe with her. How his wife managed to find their daughter in the midst of their territory's mayhem, he had no idea. She did, however, look extremely tired whilst Melinoe looked perfectly fine, although she looked more like a regular teen pouting and complaining her way out of being grounded.

"Unhand me, mother! I cannot go forth with this ridiculous injustice!" Melinoe screeched as she thrashed in her mother's hold. "Man, those regency movies are getting the best of me. Hey, you—" The goddess of ghosts pointed to a skeletal butler. "Give me some 21st Century movies and _stat._ I want them in my room ASAP, capiche? And mom, quit digging your nails on me!"

"You will _sit_ , child." Persephone hissed as she dragged their daughter towards the dining table. "Damn it! I'm starting to sound like your grandmother, Melinoe – so help me, young lady –"

"Dad, hey!" Melinoe grinned awkwardly as her mother forced her to sit on the chair next to him. "Could you uh—wow, this place is gloomier, huh? Anyway, can you please tell mom to _back off_? It's not like I've been causing _trouble_ or anything."

Hades sighed just as his wife sat next to him and the ghosts of dead confederates began to serve them their meal. "The last time you caused trouble you nearly traumatized the life out of Nico, Thalia and Percy."

"What?" Melinoe laughed nervously as she started picking on her plate of chicken casserole. "That was _years_ ago. And _besides,_ I was only serving my purpose as the goddess of ghosts. They don't call me that for nothin', you know. It's not like I killed them or anything… although that would have been fun."

"Where has the time gone?" Persephone rolled her eyes at her daughter while taking a hold of his hand. He squeezed her hand in the hopes of providing comfort. "Sweetie, you're making trips to the underworld a bit too hard for demigods. And don't think the Big Three's children was the last time you got a bite out of your troublesome ways. No wonder we don't get heroes these days!"

"They're puny!" Melinoe pointed an accusing fork at her mother with a large grin on her face. "Besides, it's fun to play mind games with them. Give me a break here. I've been ignored by the two of you for so long it gets… you know… really sad."

Hades heart did a crazy somersault and not the pleasant kind. Guilt tugged at his gut when his daughter's expression turned from sarcastic to pained. He tried not to let his guilt show, so he hardened his gaze as he examined her. His eyes probably dilated into that cold front that he always assumed in front of everyone – sometimes including his wife. The last thing he needed was to have his daughter make fun of him for being a softie and he's a god not meant to be made fun of.

"Hades." Persephone's voice woke him from his reverie. His wife's hold on his hand tightened as she spoke. "What can you say to our daughter?"

He always expected the best out of his children. He always pushed them to be beyond what everybody assumed they'd be. He did that with Nico and Bianca – mostly Nico – and maybe even to Hazel. It wouldn't be fair to his demigod children if he didn't do the same with his own immortal daughter. At the end of the day, he just didn't want to be humiliated like he had been when he was solely uninvited to join Olympus in the early days. He'd hoped his children would make others see him differently – and they did. Melinoe… well, she hasn't quite done the job yet.

"How do you expect us to honor you when you've done nothing but disgrace this family, Melinoe?" His words came out harsher than he'd expected.

Persephone's jaw nearly hit the table and the look on his daughter's face just did it for him.

"Hades, how could you say that?!" Persephone snapped at him, shoving her cutleries onto her plate angrily. "She's your _daughter—_ "

"Who has done nothing but traverse trouble in more ways than one." Hades continued for his wife as he sent his daughter a cold glare, but that aching guilt was starting to hammer his heart mercilessly. "Unless you can prove to me and your mother that you're worthy of being called our child, you will do something that'll showcase the best of my bloodline's ability – and that is to do good and for people to see the good. Scaring away demigods and exhibiting fiendish games is _not_ a way to honor your family."

"I'm trying, dad—" Melinoe said in a small voice.

"Well, you're not trying hard enough." The words alone were enough to tear down anyone, even him. But he let the words hang, and the reaction from his two girls made him want to jump into the Phlegethon River and stay there for the rest of his immortal life.

Melinoe's bottom lip quivered, her brown eyes – one she inherited from her mother – giving off a sense of pain and hopelessness. He was _this close_ to apologizing, to pulling his daughter in his arms and telling her that the whole thing was just a silly little joke he came up with and that he'd tell her he was so proud of her. But he needed to hit her hard – that's what his Roman side would do, and it occurred to him that his Greek side didn't mind it. The Greek side was hesitant though. The Roman side slapped that hesitation down like a bitch, and now the cold-hearted card was at play.

"I'm sorry." Melinoe's voice cracked as tears began to stream down her cheeks, but she gasped and quickly tried to wipe them away as she rose from her seat. "I'll try harder, _father_. I'll show them I'm worthy to be your daughter—"

"Melinoe, sweetie—" Persephone started as she pulled away from his hold to reach out for their daughter, but Melinoe just drew herself farther from them.

"I'll do better. I promise." Melinoe sobbed as she harshly wiped her tears away, her eyes downcast, shoving her seat back into place. "I'll prove to you just how better I am than your demigod children. I'll… I'll…"

Without another word, Melinoe bolted for the doors. Persephone stood from her seat, but Hades held her down – causing her to glare at him.

"What were you thinking, you idiot?!" Persephone slapped his hand away from her arm, her face all blotchy with absolute anger. "I searched every crevice of the underworld for our daughter for the sake of reconciling with her. But what did you do? You basically _slapped_ the idea in our daughter's face that your stupid demigod children are better than her – a _goddess._ You've wounded her!"

"I've done what is right, Persephone." Hades' voice hardened as he glared at his wife. This was not how he wished the night would go, and they were only seconds away from eight o'clock. "You treat her too softly when clearly she needs to harden her defenses. She's been nothing but trouble."

"She's not Eris!" Persephone slammed her fist on the table, cutleries and plates shaking in the process. "She is our _daughter_ and she needs attention. We've deprived her of our love for so long and it's not right. You say you want to change her and make her do better than your demigod children and yet you're ignorant to the fact that she's already trying that since the end of the Second Gigantomachy."

Just before he could fire back with something more intelligent, the wall clock in the dining hall _dinged_ loudly – signaling the alarm he set up after the meeting with Aphrodite. 8PM. It was time.

Persephone's cold look softened, causing her once stiff body to slack. "I suppose this argument can wait. We have to drink the damn truth serum."

"Persephone—" Hades started just as he rose from his seat.

"Cease all arguments… please." Persephone sighed as she dragged him towards their bedroom.

Hades decided it was wiser to stay silent as he closed the door of their room behind them. And as per Aphrodite's instruction earlier, two little pink vials stood on the end table beside Persephone's side of bed. Persephone took the vials and handed one to him with shaky hands.

"I don't mean to argue, 'Seph." Hades' voice softened as he watched his wife fidget with the cork of the bottle. "And… I… I want you to know that whatever it is that I would end up telling you, I will understand if you choose to deliberately ignore me."

Persephone sent him a confused look. "But didn't Aphrodite say that we must pass judgment? That we have to accept whatever the other has to say?"

"To Tartarus with Aphrodite." Hades shook his head as he walked over to her, taking her shaking hands into his. His wife looked up at him with troubled brown eyes. "What that woman is asking for is a torture like no other. To pretend to let our secrets pass like they've been nothing… is inhumane. If you want me to pass judgment, fine. But I am giving you the free will of not accepting judgment until you're ready. I need you to take your time."

"Hades…" Persephone trailed off in a small voice as she eyed him guiltily. "I—"

"Promise me you will take your time." Hades told her. "Swear by the River Styx."

Persephone bit her bottom lip, and she looked at him like he's lost his mind. But he was glad that she went against the forces, knowing better than to show distrust towards him. He was glad for the trust, because the minute she spoke of it sealed the fate of their relationship. "I swear by the River Styx that I will take my time in passing judgment on your secret."

The roof rumbled; a compliance and show that the oath had been made and there was no turning back. It was exactly what he needed and hopefully, just enough to keep his wife at bay… or to keep her with him at all, period.

"Bottoms up." Hades said just as he popped the cork off his own vial.

His wife raised her opened vial to him and they toasted before chugging down the pink liquid together.

Uncomfortable warmth spread through his system the minute he took in the last drop. His head felt like it weighed more than Cerberus just as his vision began to blur. In the midst of his nausea, he saw his wife sit at the tip of their bed – hands raking through raven locks as she breathed deeply.

Hades instinctively reached out to her, having the least bit of hold on her shoulder. His wife turned to look at him, and her once confused, heavy brown eyes were now calm, cool… completely collected. The look in her eyes had an effect on him because the nausea began to subside, his head lightened just a little and his body willed himself to sit beside her.

"Hades." Persephone said his name in the sweetest way possible. Although he enjoyed the sound of it, it just didn't sound like her if that made any sense. "I'll be a darling and tell you the truth. Do you wish to know what hinders me from giving this method a chance?"

His ears rang and his wife's voice sounded so distant, so far – like there was a wooden door between them and he could only hear the vibrations of her voice. His vision cleared now and the heaviness in his head began to subside, however his body felt lanky and weak. But he nodded his approval anyway since it felt like his throat was patched up with buckets of sand. Why did his wife seem perfectly fine?

"The truth is that I…" Persephone swallowed. "I'm sincerely bitter towards the fact that you chose to have two separate children with Maria di Angelo. It only goes to show that… I feel like you have stopped loving me. That I… I can never sire you the same heroes she did with you."

At that point, he heard his wife clearly. No wooden door to stop him from hearing her. It was all there, and the pain in her voice only made every fiber of his being grow weaker by the second. His wife… his dear, his dove, his beloved Persephone felt useless. She always told him that it was okay – that the affairs and the children, they will wear off because they were both immortal and she'd eventually forget. She said that once and she swore she felt it that way. In a way, it confirmed his deepest fears and thus, he thought that particular problem was already solved. Yet, when he heard his wife's confession… the way she looked so distraught, like she could never be enough for him – made it harder for him to convey his form of confession.

Persephone had started to cry at this point, and instinctively he reached out towards her. His wife allowed him to hold her as she sobbed into his chest, whispering and wailing words he couldn't comprehend. For some reason, he found himself feeling better – which was cruel. His headache subsided, his throat felt new and his body felt like it'd taken a dip into a really cold pool, energizing every nerve on end. How could he feel so optimistic in the midst of what his wife had just told him?

Before he could say something, his wife pulled away from him. Persephone wiped her tears with the back of her hand. He couldn't stand the way she looked now. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying, her cheeks and nose a bright red and just about everything in her looked distraught. Did he look that way when she was confessing to him?

Hades wanted to say something, and he did – but it didn't turn out to be the very something that he wanted to say. Instead, he found himself spewing words like a monotone robot. "I'll be a darling and tell you the truth. Do you wish to know what hinders me from giving this method a chance?"

Persephone responded the way he did when she asked him that very same question. She nodded.

"The truth is that I…" Hades swallowed. How could he not control himself? He felt like he'd just mirrored what his wife had done moments ago. "I have been visiting Maria in Asphodel ever since she died despite ancient laws. It has occurred to me that I simply cannot move on, and thus during the drought of winter – I go to Asphodel to meet with her."

He didn't sound hurt. Rather, he sounded proud – which was _not_ how he truly felt inside. The truth serum kicked him in the gut, telling him to man up because this confession was worth being proud of and that it was worth hurting his wife. But he didn't want to feel that way. He didn't want to feel like the jerk who just told his wife that he'd technically been cheating on her with a ghost. A part of him fought that unnecessary and cruel proudness off, but even his own senses had gone in circles.

This time, a white flash blinded his eyes. It only took seconds for him to attack his wife down and take cover as the brightness enveloped them. Even with his eyes closed, he felt the heat before his lids. When the substantial light died, he opened his eyes.

Persephone was pressed under him, and when she saw him – he felt a surge of panic race through her system just by holding her. She started to push him off defiantly, her eyes wide with both fear and disgust. His body, thankfully, responded as he rolled away from her before sitting up.

His wife was the first to speak, pointing an accusing finger at him. "You bastard! How dare you defy ancient law? How **dare** you see that whore behind my back? How _fucking_ dare you, Hades?! You _just_ couldn't stay away from her, can you? You say you're trying to move on, but clearly your attempts at moving on are fatal beyond words. How… how could you do this to me?"

"Persephone…" His voice started, but it felt weak despite the energy coursing through his body – like a cruel adrenaline was coursing through his veins. "You have to understand…"

"You want me to see reason or see the good behind your treachery?" Persephone snapped at him, and before he could blink – he felt a searing pain grace his cheek. Afterwards, he felt several punches go through his arms and stomach. Although they were small punches, he could feel the damage. His wife was assaulting him weakly as tears streamed down her cheeks. "You kiss me yet you find comfort in her. You say you love me and yet you find yourself crawling back to her like some lost, idiotic puppy. You tell me that you're more faithful when you are no better than your brothers. You have defiled me and everything that I hold dear when you kidnapped me and this… this is how you repay me? You repay me by seeing your whore?!"

His wife's eyes flared as he stood still. He accepted the assault of his wife. He promised his mother he would. He accepted her words, and they hurt. Every part of him wanted to respond in ways that needed to reach out and comfort Persephone. But his will to let her listen to his reasons was low. Because there was no good reason and excuse to match his confession. And he certainly didn't want to half-ass her now that she found out. He needed to give her time, and that was more painful than telling her the truth of his horrid actions.

"You are more monster than Kronos himself, Hades." Persephone regarded, and he realized she was already at the door, ready to leave him. Her cold regard broke his heart which was the last thing he wanted to feel. "I will _never_ forgive you."

* * *

 **AN:** Wow. I did not expect this chapter to go heavy. Honestly, I thought I'd end up writing so lightly about this couple – but it turns out, I can potentially write their story just as I do with the others. I hope you liked this chapter, even though this may have broken your little shipper hearts in the process. **Please don't forget to comment/review your thoughts on this chapter.** And if you loved reading this story, please favorite/follow it or spread the word to your friends. I'd love to hear what you think the other couples confessed to each other. Thank you for reading, and stay tuned! –EMPG22HoPe

 **This fanfiction may also be found on Wattpad under my username** _ **MDSummers.**_


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